“Pavlova’s built-in stimulus will get you exactly where you need to go,” the salesman offered a pen, anxiously awaiting signature. “I recommend enabling preferences from the beginning.”
Carl flew off in the minivan, shouting commands, “The nearest of everything, Pavlova. I don’t need a long list of choices. I need water. ”
“Don’t fear what you do not know,” Pavlova speaks. “Just run.”
“But you are a motor vehicle,” Carl pats the dash.
“I don’t trust her,” his girlfriend says.
Pavlova accelerates and curves off-road, heading toward a lake.
“Where is she taking us?”
“Jump!”
“Just run.”
Task Completion: 100%
Predicting Outcomes: 100%
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Genre: Realistic Fiction (ha ha) – 100 words
Copyright: Roger Bultot
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This story was inspired by the article I read today about artificial intelligence. It’s not nuclear war that we’ll fear in the future, but superintelligence in the form of machines or artificial intelligence, starting with those chips in our cars.
Thank you to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting and dedicating her time to Friday Fictioneers, and to Roger Bultot for the photo this week.
If you like to try this 100-word challenge, please join in.
For more stories from this week’s prompt, click HERE.
AmyReeseWrites 
Reblogged this on mihran Kalaydjian and commented:
Deep Curve Pavlova
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Good old Pavlova. I wouldn’t trust her either. Besides, I get motion sickness if I’m not driving. I’d always be sick if I had a car that drove me around.
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Yeah, me too. That would make me sick. But, I’m sure it’s in our future, but hopefully not in our lifetime. Of course, it’s already doable.
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Aye! The way I see it, fifty years from now cars will drive themselves. Either they’ll be morons and drive into lakes, or they’ll be nanny-state cars and refuse to take us to the ice cream parlor.
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This car was a killer, but yes a moron too. What a stupid car! No ice cream! Oh, I object. One sad thing mentioned in this article is that all the horses have disappeared. So, we can’t go back, although bicycles would be good exercise. 🙂
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My wife and I are picking up a new car tomorrow morning. Life imitates art is just an expression, right? There’s no actual truth to it, is there?
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You will be fine, I’m sure. Of course, I can’t guarantee it! Ha ha. It’s true that the chips in the new cars recognize your driving habits, like your rate of acceleration, who knows what else. I think I’d rather not know. Congrats on the new car, Mark. How fun!
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I’ve been reading similar articles, I just did a post on self-driving cars. I don’t think I trust them, and I know I don’t trust Pavlova, she seems a bit “Rise of the Machines” 🙂
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“Rise of the Machines,” exactly. I wonder if this artificial intelligence will creep into our lives unknowingly. I used to just think of them as all robots, but maybe not. I don’t think I could could get into a self-driving car either. I’d like to read your post about them.
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This is a futuristic take. Yes, very much probable 🙂
When AI takes over, we have to run 🙂
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Thanks, Anita. I thought it might be interesting if people were too scared to get into cars, and then what would we do? We would be wishing for the days when we had old clunkers.
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I panic enough using cruise control! Would hate this.
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I don’t use cruise control either. I’m with you. I like having control, definitely.
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lol enjoyed this a lot, Amy. though i don’t think i’d appreciate the feeling of losing control of my vehicle.
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Thanks, K.Z. I’m sure if would an uncomfortable experience, to say the least. I may have to give up driving altogether.
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i laugh now but really, your story can become a reality. that’s so scary! let’s hope we humans can keep the drive, ha-aha, in staying in control of our vehicles. 😛
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Thanks, Sun! I’m sure this type of thing could happen today. So far, we’re still in the driver’s seat. 🙂
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i’m not moving out of the driver’s seat…they will have to pry me off of it. ha-ha!!
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Dear Amy,
This put me in mind of “From Agnes with Love.” It was a Twilight Zone episode with Wally Cox. He was a tech who has a computer that fills a room fall in love with him. I think Pavlova and Agnes have a lot in common.
Will our technology step over that edge? Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I watched the beginning of “Agnes”! I’m going to go back and watch the whole thing. Thanks for the reference. They say the machines could take over, and I’d like to think we’re smarter than that, but I can see how it could happen. That’s we’re headed, the Twilight Zone! I suppose if you take a command to its utmost extreme, the consequences could be a disaster, and off the edge we’d fall. Thanks.
Shalom,
Amy
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Oh – yes.. And all run by google I assume.. I foresee a future with cars running havoc.
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Google will be in charge of everything, right? And whoever thought a company called Google would run everything? It sounds straight out of a cartoon.
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Good futuristic angle from the prompt. I like that! Has some thought behind it. Recently, I saw some news stories about technology and we’re not that far away in some ways. Nice work, Amy!
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I think driverless cars are possible. Uber was wanting to implement them. Whether or not turn they against us remains to be seen. I’m not sure I’d want to give up control. Thanks, Kent!
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They can have all the artificial intelligence they want, I’ll stick with natural born stupidity. I don’t trust it either, but at least it hasn’t ran me off into a lake–yet! Great take on the prompt, Amy.
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Ha ha. I love that one, Russell, natural born stupidity. It is not to be underestimated! We could say we need to cherish it before all the artificial beings take over. At least it’s real and natural. What’s wrong with making mistakes, right? Thanks so much.
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What a name for a minivan – she sounds so sweet. That’s the problem with AI – it’s only as intelligent as the human who programmed it. She obviously thought they were very thirsty.
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Very thirsty, indeed. She took it the extreme and I believe she’s a bit malicious. I am not riding with Pavlova, ever! Thanks, Sarah.
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This one throw me for a loop (and that’s OK) … but I can say that this pic has produced quite the wide range of stories!
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I’d be happy to try to clear anything up, if you want to share what threw you, Frank. I’ll admit this story is wacky! I agree there’s the full range in this one. It’s always interesting to see where people take it.
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Dear Amy, I think there will be driver-less cars in the future and there will probably be safer. Get rid of all the ‘idiots’ who don’t pay attention to what they are doing and get a computer that has a good driving record. I can see the commercials for these self-driven cars. Good job Amy! Nan 🙂
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Ha! Wouldn’t that be funny if the driver-less cars had driving records? I think they could show up any day, Nan! I’m not sure how I feel about getting in one of them, but it would be nice to not have to drive. I wonder if there would be less accidents. We shall see. Thanks, Nan! 🙂
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Amy, I agree that part of the problem with self-driving cars would be the people who programed them . Maybe there’ll be a course in car programing instead of driver training in the schools. Well written and humorous. 🙂 —Susan
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Ha ha. Good thinking, Susan. That driver training class will have to be replaced with the next best option, although I think most schools don’t have it anymore! I just hope the cars don’t start acting out. What if the self-driver cars start to act out on each other? Oh, so many things could go wrong! Thanks so much. 🙂
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Beware the future is now!
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Exactly, Dawn! Thanks.
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I feel like Siri is too much at times, I can’t imagine a car that talked back to me too! I do love the name Pavlova though. She seems a wee bit to adventurous though. 😉
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I think Siri has it in for me sometimes, Dawn! Like she gets upset, but really it’s me who’s irritated. I’m sure the talking car is already here somewhere. Yes, Pavlova was a little extreme. 🙂
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He did get what he asked for…. Good lesson on being specific.
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Right?! Why should he be complaining? Ha ha.
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It’s kind of scary that technology like this is already here in some parts of the world. Nicely done! 😉
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I think it could be scary, Dianne. I think stuff will start showing up and happen fast I’m not sure we’re ready. Thanks! 🙂
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Futurism!
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Let’s get excited. Bon appetit!
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Great name for the truck. And we are too close to driverless cars taking us to who knows where. Could we burn Silicon Valley?
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That would solve all our problems, Patrick. It would create all kinds of new ones, too! That’s the thing about technology. It’s so hard to turn back. We move forward even if we don’t know where we’re heading. Thanks for your comments!
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Pavlova strikes me as a direct descendant of 2001’s HAL, Amy. If Carl was able to save his own skin, I hope that he also saved his receipt — to make a return.
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Pavlova is Hal’s granddaughter. Ha ha. Could be. V, if I had one more line in this story, it would be Carl saying, “Leave it” or “Leave her.” Probably “it.” I think he’s running for the hills and cutting his losses!
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Amy, I had no idea this story was going in the direction of artificial intelligence. The only thing I kept thinking about was the image of the truck, which triggered a memory of your horrible U-haul truck experience. Fun times!
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Anka, I thought about about my U-haul story and considered writing that one. I’m so honored you still remember my U-Haul ordeal! I can laugh about it now. That was a rough one. Thanks!
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Enjoyed reading your story.. creative!! 🙂
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Thanks so much, Vinitha!
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I’m not sure how I missed this. If I don’t catch it in my email I usually find it on facebook.
Great piece and yes a little scary.
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Maybe I didn’t put this out on FB! I can’t remember. Thanks so much. I think it’s scary because it’s right around the corner. Yikes!
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