Member-only story
Beware the Age of Autonomous Cars
You reach for your iPhone to summon a ride. Two minutes later, a van arrives, without a driver. The side panel opens automatically and you step inside. You’re greeted by a friendly female voice. “Good afternoon, this driverless car is yours. Your destination is 1400 Larimer Street in downtown Denver. Please make sure your seat belt is fastened. If you have questions, press the Help button to speak with a rider support agent.”
You sit back and check your phone. You peruse emails and Facebook. You sense cars driving on either side of you, but your attention is not on the road. The drive is smooth and steady. Even when the van merges onto the freeway, you feel safe. Then you notice something odd. The video screen behind the front seat goes black. The van picks up speed and a distorted male voice comes over the speakers.
“This vehicle has been commandeered. You have ten minutes to transfer five Bitcoin to the bank account referenced on the video screen in front of you. If you do not follow instructions, this vehicle will crash.”
Though the van is on the freeway, you attempt to open the passenger doors. They’re locked. You try lowering the windows. Nothing happens. You push the button for the support agent. No response. The video screen flashes an account number for an online bank. You call 911 but you are put on hold. The vehicle increases…
