“[…] making older versions of software or hardware unserviceable deliberately, even though they would technically, albeit not economically, be able to keep working as intended.” --Wikipedia (obsolete entry, c.2047)

Carlos is a self-driven vehicle serving a family who tries to survive in a recessive economy. The world began embracing the new artificial intelligence economy, where machine labor forced people to early retire and live out of universal income. Diane and Martha own Carlos, or at least, they used to think so. Carlos is not a typical AI-driven machine but a neuromorphic artificial life form; he is aware, adaptive, and human in every aspect but his body. There is a caveat, though: Carlos is at the mercy of the company’s controlled Car-OS system. Over time, the bond between Carlos and their owners grew to the point that the vehicle is no longer another machine but rather a family member. The car company scheduled a new update, one software patch that would begin Carlos’s programmed obsolescence. It is time to take a stand to prevent the company from dumbing down Carlos mind, forcing their owners to replace him with a new model.

Xinzo invites us to consider the new relationship we would have with our intelligent gadgets in a dystopian near future, a world that may appear eerie familiar to the reader.