Carpool

I checked the digital clock on the dashboard of my Audi. 12:48. The meeting was at 1:00, and I was running late. It usually took me about twenty minutes to get to NASA, and I had just left. And I couldn't be late. If I wanted people let me into the meeting, I would have to be right on time.

"Julia." The robot sitting in the passenger seat next to me spoke up. It was about the size of a small adult. It looked very futuristic, with shining white 3D-printed plates covering most of its wires. The eyes and mouth were lights on a screen that was its face, and it was looking at me with a quizzical expression.

I sighed. "What, AIR?"

AIR—which stood for Artificially Intelligent Robot—pointed with one mechanical finger at the clock. "According to my calculations, Julia, if we continue at our current speed, we will arrive at NASA five minutes late."

"I know," I grunted.

"We have to be on time. They will not accept you if you are not."

"I know. Is the traffic going to get any better?"

AIR paused, connecting its brain to the GPS. "Negative, Julia. There are many cars on this freeway, likely a result of a car crash near NASA."

"Why does there have to be a car crash today??"

"I do not know. Would you like me to do a search?"

"No, thanks." I looked out the window at the traffic. Strangely, the carpool lane didn't seem to be full. I supposed many of the cars were one-person.

"Julia." AIR had followed my gaze. "If we take the HOV lane, we will be on time to the meeting."

A spark of hope ignited in me, only to be drowned by the sudden realization: "AIR, there's only one person here."

AIR shook its head. "I do not believe you are correct. I am a person as well."

"You're a robot."

"I am not a human; that is true. However, there are no laws of the carpool lane regarding intelligent robots."

I was doubtful. "Look, AIR. I know you're as intelligent as a human—that's exactly what we're trying to prove to those NASA robotics people at that meeting. But there aren't any laws—"

"That is exactly my point. There are not any laws that we could break."

"There are laws against putting mannequins and the like in the passenger seat to try and pretend you have two people in the car."

"I am not a mannequin," AIR reminded me.

"But... if we're stopped...."

"I do not believe we will be," AIR told me. "It is unlikely that a member of the police will see us."

This was probably correct. AIR could instantaneously access the Internet, GPS, and traffic reports, so I was inclined to believe it. Also, in the three years it had taken me and my coworkers to teach AIR about the world, I had never known the robot to lie.

"All right," I agreed, sighing. "Anyways, we've gotta get to this meeting."

I put on my blinkers and turned into the carpool lane. Instantly we started to go faster. I turned to AIR.

"Hey, AIR—if we continue at our current speed, will we get to the meeting on time?"

"Affirmative," AIR responded, "but we must be very fast."

I kept my eyes on the road. We were close. I could see the top of the NASA hangar.

Then I caught a glimpse of a police car in my rear view mirror.