Autonomous Vehicle
Night. Inside the cabin of Car
Serra is standing outside the open driver-side doorway. It’s on the left (American). Serra is holding a wadded up, heavily blood-stained, t-shirt to her right side, just below her rib. She reaches across the center console, puts her gun on the passenger seat, gets in, drops into the driver seat and exhales.
Car, *surprised, worried*: You’re injured.
Serra, *feeble*: Yeah…
Serra closes the door.
Car: Buckel. Your. Seatbelt.
*Dazed* Serra reaches over her shoulder for the seatbelt strap.
Cut to the inside of Car’s engine:
Looking up from the surface of the driveshaft, we see round ridges, like twisted corduroy, extending down the metal rod off into the dark horizon. Each ridge has an electric contact plate along its top. Above, the dark metal ceiling has plated groves that match like gear teeth.
The ceiling above falls, then rises and begins to orbit like a hula-hoop.
The movement of the ceiling continues at an accelerating rate.
Cut to a cramped space under the hood:
A metal drum-shaped coil of wires (the armature) begins to glow red hot. The engine vibrates almost imperceptibly. An electric buzz becomes audible. It increases in volume and pitch.
Cut to a close up of Serra’s waist from the right side.
Serra is fumbling to get the seatbelt tongue into the receiver using only her right hand. Her left hand is still holding her wound on her right side.
Cut to Car’s dashboard instrument panel:
Speed is zero, tachometer is climbing, fuel is 6.81 liters, battery is 81%
Car, *in a robot voice*: Speed inhibitor override.
The tachometer jumps up and then stops just before redlining at 2,000 RPM, quivering.
Cut to a close up of Serra’s waist from the right side:
Serra gets the seatbelt to attach.
-Click-
Rack and zoom in bullet time like it’s ‘99.
Also zoom out, while panning and snaping to a torso shot of Serra.
Serra is thrown back against the seat, as Car blasts forward at max acceleration.
(Note: The tires do not “burn rubber” even for an instant.
Burning rubber is inefficient speed-wise.)
Cut to a mid-shot of Car on the road from the outside:
The front wheels stay in road contact, while the front-end hits apex height due to acceleration. The body then bounces back to level as Car shoots down the road.
Cut to the torso shot of Serra:
Serra, *jolted, alert*: Holy Hell!
What are you doing!?!
Serra is tossed to the left of the seat belt as Car peals through a right turn.
Car: I’m taking you to the hospital.
Serra: Slow down! What are you thinking?
Car: I can’t slow down.
Serra is tossed to the right.
Serra: Slow down! Slow down! Slow down!
Car: Do you trust me?
Serra: What?
Car: Do you trust me?
Serra pauses, looking down and thinking as she is jostling in the car, still holding her wound.
Serra: Yes.
Serra, *looks up*: I trust you.
Cut to a wide jerky shot following Car from behind, a little to one side:
Dodging around a slower vehicle, Car is blasting down the street pulling forward in the frame. The area is a light commercial zone.
The road has 2 lanes on each side with a plant and grass filled median. Yellow halogen streetlamps illuminate telephone wires hanging above from poles, as well as the asphalt and sidewalk below.
Buildings with small parking lots whiz by. Most are closed and dark, the rest are a blur of liquor stores and gas stations.
The street ahead is blocked with stopped cars, as an intersection enters the frame. The signal is red.
Cut to the inside of Car’s cabin
The back of Serra’s head and shoulder are on the left, looking from the back seat out the windshield at the red stop light.
Serra: It’s red!
Cut to outside:
Car jumps the median into oncoming traffic.