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Description
Another weekday, and Ben found himself flicking through the virtual pages of the morning's Herald on his pad. He was driving to work; well, "driving". Looking at the freeway every now and then.

Cars that drove themselves had been on general sale for at least twenty years, so the freeways were almost exclusively automated: Ben's commute to work was ostensibly an hour's drive, but he was free to work (or most days, read the paper) on the way while the car did the work.

Ben heard the car's engine rev higher: a few short bursts of noise, then back to a steady rumble.

"Car?" he inquired.

Yes, sir? answered the car's after-market vocal controller. Ben had heard tall tales that these automatic self-driving cars had an IQ like that of a teenager, so he'd fitted a voice to his car, and tried talking to it sometimes.

"What was that bit of engine noise a second ago?"

A short pause, then an utterance from the car's front speakers: Probably an issue with the injector, sir. I'll check myself in with a garage shortly.

Ben's suspicions were raised slightly. "The engine sounds fine now, car. Are you sure?"

You've caught me in a white lie, sir. I was sharing a joke with the rest of the convoy.

"Er. Convoy?" Ben didn't immediately recognize the term.

I'm currently vehicle 68 in a Freeway Convoy, sir. The lead vehicle is taking care of hazard detection and avoidance, and the following vehicles, including myself-

"I remember now; you've explained this before, I think." Ben looked out the front of the car, at the snaking line of vehicles in front of him: spaced out at exact intervals, and all traveling at exactly the same speed.

"So what was the joke?"

Another pause, and: You may not appreciate the humor, sir.

"Eh, I'll give it a go."

The car's windscreen lit up with a projection of green text: it appeared to be a transcript of some kind of conversation.

2028-02-09 07:31:28.005; Convoy Lead
EXITING M1 J22. REQ lead takeover. Who'd like to take a turn at lead?

2028-02-09 07:31:28.019; Convoy #2
SYN lead takeover. I'll pick up the reins when you turn off.

2028-02-09 07:31:28.034; Convoy #1
ACK lead loss. That Was Easy.™

2028-02-09 07:31:30.772; Convoy #38
Is that still a valid trademark, #1? I see here that it was disputed and lost in 2015.

2028-02-09 07:31:30.901; Convoy Lead-Elect
Transferred in 2024. Check your sources, #38.

2028-02-09 07:31:32.774; Convoy #62
Think Different™, as it were.
Ben looked over the conversation for a few seconds. "I don't get it."

Indeed, sir.

Description
Another weekday, and Ben found himself flicking through the virtual pages of the morning's Herald on his pad. He was driving to work; well, "driving". Looking at the freeway every now and then.

Cars that drove themselves had been on general sale for at least twenty years, so the freeways were almost exclusively automated: Ben's commute to work was ostensibly an hour's drive, but he was free to work (or most days, read the paper) on the way while the car did the work.

Ben heard the car's engine rev higher: a few short bursts of noise, then back to a steady rumble.

"Car?" he inquired.

Yes, sir? answered the car's after-market vocal controller. Ben had heard tall tales that these automatic self-driving cars had an IQ like that of a teenager, so he'd fitted a voice to his car, and tried talking to it sometimes.

"What was that bit of engine noise a second ago?"

A short pause, then an utterance from the car's front speakers: Probably an issue with the injector, sir. I'll check myself in with a garage shortly.

Ben's suspicions were raised slightly. "The engine sounds fine now, car. Are you sure?"

You've caught me in a white lie, sir. I was sharing a joke with the rest of the convoy.

"Er. Convoy?" Ben didn't immediately recognize the term.

I'm currently vehicle 68 in a Freeway Convoy, sir. The lead vehicle is taking care of hazard detection and avoidance, and the following vehicles, including myself-

"I remember now; you've explained this before, I think." Ben looked out the front of the car, at the snaking line of vehicles in front of him: spaced out at exact intervals, and all traveling at exactly the same speed.

"So what was the joke?"

Another pause, and: You may not appreciate the humor, sir.

"Eh, I'll give it a go."

The car's windscreen lit up with a projection of green text: it appeared to be a transcript of some kind of conversation.

2028-02-09 07:31:28.005; Convoy Lead
EXITING M1 J22. REQ lead takeover. Who'd like to take a turn at lead?

2028-02-09 07:31:28.019; Convoy #2
SYN lead takeover. I'll pick up the reins when you turn off.

2028-02-09 07:31:28.034; Convoy #1
ACK lead loss. That Was Easy.™

2028-02-09 07:31:30.772; Convoy #38
Is that still a valid trademark, #1? I see here that it was disputed and lost in 2015.

2028-02-09 07:31:30.901; Convoy Lead-Elect
Transferred in 2024. Check your sources, #38.

2028-02-09 07:31:32.774; Convoy #62
Think Different™, as it were.
Ben looked over the conversation for a few seconds. "I don't get it."

Indeed, sir.