AD1 Where are You?

            AD1 Where Are You?

Suzanne Marsh

2040 Vargo Plant

“Hey the new AD1 needs an extra chip. Sure would be funny to see bewildered programmer

speaking to a big rig and the big rig talking back.”

“Hey why not? Let’s give the big rig a name like maybe Tom Piper?”

“Can’t you do any better than that?

“Yeah but that is the only thing that comes to mind: “Tom, Tom the Piper’s son.”

“Give me the damn chip so I can put it into the brain.”

AD1 was now ready for trials before being sent to The Patter Truck Company; there it would join the fleet. It would be used to transport all types of goods from computers to meat to cars. AD1 will be on its own once it leaves the factory.

2041

Nick Compton programmer extraordinaire; was well into setting up the programs that would allow AD1 to go where it was dispatched. He smiled and hummed to himself; this was the last one of the fleet to be set up, then he would be allowed to take a much needed vacation. Hmm he hated that word allowed; of course he hated what was happening in the trucking industry more. AD1 was being programmed to run from Patterson, New Jersey to Jackson, Mississippi. Patterson, New Jersey was the main terminal; for Pattter Truck Company. Patter had been founded ten years ago when the first robot controlled trucks came into being. Those were bad enough but now with the advent of AD1 all Nick had to do was program it to go where ever it needed to go. There were no trucking jobs left thanks to AD1.

Time continued to pass as Nick began to notice quirks in AD1 he did not expect. Momentarily he thought they were just glitches within the confines of the unit; until AD1 would not budge from Jackson, Mississippi. Nick tried everything he could think of to see where the glitch. He had tried a remote diagnosis, nothing, nada, zip. This made no sense to him, since he had in deed, programmed that truck himself. He wondered if perhaps the battery was low. No, it seemed strange that the truck would simply not move. Nick, then decided that it would be wise since the remote diagnosis he would send it to a dealership in Jackson, Mississippi; hoping against hope that the dealership could fix the issue.

“Jack, Nick Compton, how are you? Hey I have a truck AD1 that refuses to leave Jackson.

I tried remote diagnosis but to no avail. Can you send a tech over to take a look.”

Jack Hamilton began to laugh as Nick glared at the phone:

“Yeah I can send a tech out there. Maybe it likes Jackson better than Patterson.”

“Jack that truck is loaded with computers and Iphones it would not do if it did not

come back.”

“Calm down Nick it no doubt is something simple; I’ll get my best tech out there now.

I will call you when it is done.”

“Man, Jack would I wouldn’t give to be back in a truck and on the road. These electronic

trucks have taken so many trucking jobs. Drivers aren’t needed anymore; it is sad

that a whole industry is no longer here.”

“Nick, it is progress, we can’t stop time..”

“Yeah I know but it would be great to see the old diesels coming down the interstates again.”

“I’ll call you Nick as soon as I have an answer.”

“Thanks Jack I appreciate it.”

Several days later Jack phoned Nick:

“Hey Nick, I found the glitch you are going to have to drive this truck manually for

a while until we can resolve that glitch.”

“What is the glitch Jack.”

“It sound crazy but AD1 is alive within the confines of the unit. I have no idea how

this happened but it did.”

“Jack, I have heard some crazy things since technology pretty much took over our lives but

this is strange.”

“Let me explain Nick:

Somewhere along the assembly line someone or something planted a chip that eventually

turned AD1 into something alive. It can speak, it refuses to budge anytime Patter Trucking

is mentioned. I have tried to over ride the chip, I have spent hours trying to figure this out.

When can you come and get this critter?”

“I will be there in a few days, I have to charge my electric car before I can leave.”

Nick hung up and stared at the phone as if a Copperhead had just struck him. This was to bizarre; the next thing Jack will be telling him is that he met Rod Sterling. Nick, packed his bag, kissed his wife and left for Jackson, Mississippi.

Jackson, Mississippi 2040

Nick went directly to the Tria Hotel where he was going to stay for a week. He hoped it would be an easy fix. He planned to follow AD1 back to Patterson, New Jersey. He strode into Vargo Electric Trucks Incorporated, what a huge building. Vargo did all the repairs on site, except for this one. They had no idea how to fix a truck with an attitude. Nick had been a computer programmer for twenty years; one electric truck did not scare him. Jack met Nick at the visitors platform.

“Nick, good to see you, it has been a while.”

“Jack, to long.”

They walked along in that silence that denotes much to say and no way to say it comfortably. Jack and Nick found a mechanic floundering with AD1.

“I have worked on diesel and electric this truck has a mind of its own.”

Nick thought the mechanic was just stressed out. He climbed into AD1 and began to program the destination of Patterson, New Jersey. A tinny voice came on:

“I am not going back to Patter Truck! I am staying here at Vargo where I am comfortable. I

have no desire to be some work horse for a fleet of eight trucks.”

Nick almost fell out of the truck; Jack stood and stared at the dumbfounded Nick. They needed to find a solution to this situation now. Nick started the truck manually only to have AD1 turn itself off.

“Geez Jack I have no idea what to say or do. I hate this technology, why couldn’t the

government have left the trucking industry alone?”

“Nick I have no answer.”

June 16, 2022

Volvo already has an electric semi truck. This truck has a range of one hundred and fifty miles. The battery is 264.OkWh. It is being used for regional hauls only. It has a 4051 torque. It is part of the VNR series. The Volvo VNR will include telematics, remote diagnosis and real time battery monitoring services.