Tesla fans, did you know that this brand has already made it into science fiction? In fact, science fiction published 4 years ago (2010)? Now that's still 7 years after Tesla was founded, and just maybe it's made it into other books by now as well. I don't know -- I haven't read every book.
But I do know that it's in Darwood & Smitty -- and why not? Tesla's a progressive brand, and something you would expect to be around in a book about the future. Meanwhile, you wouldn't expect brands that fail to adapt to a changing world to find a place in science fiction. Unless the author needed a rusted out beater car. (I'm looking at you, brands that rely on protectionist laws to compete.)
Admittedly, I had a little bias slipping Tesla into the story after this little ride:
But I do know that it's in Darwood & Smitty -- and why not? Tesla's a progressive brand, and something you would expect to be around in a book about the future. Meanwhile, you wouldn't expect brands that fail to adapt to a changing world to find a place in science fiction. Unless the author needed a rusted out beater car. (I'm looking at you, brands that rely on protectionist laws to compete.)
Admittedly, I had a little bias slipping Tesla into the story after this little ride:
Yes, I was pretty sure we were going to leave the ground when I hit the pedal. More fun than a roller coaster. But like any good sports car, obviously nimble and sure-footed.
So here's the excerpt from D&S that mentions Tesla:
* * * * *
Holovisions — aka TVs — were universal possessions, even where food was scarce. At the least, one home in a village would own one, and people would gather into the home for soccer games and anything else of gargantuan importance. Of course with every show being digital, the world government could easily monitor who was watching what. But it was more than that. The 3D nature of HV required several, ultra-mini projectors that simultaneously scanned the viewer's eye patterns, meaning they could tell exactly what you were looking at. Even better, they could scan the room for subtle temperature changes, so they knew when something was exciting a person.
The technology was sold, of course, as a way to bring more customized advertising to the viewer, so you wouldn't be bored watching commercials that held no appeal. Someone who focused on the cars in a movie scene might be treated to more Tesla commercials or an upcoming monster truck rally. Someone focused on, well, "girly parts" might get more in the way of strip club ads or — if the scanners picked up on a ring — Victoria Secret ads. Someone focused on shoes would see ads on fashion and, if they'd really heated up, on that particular type of shoe.
But the government found it a happy way for discovering and arresting ....
* * * * *
Well, you get the idea.
Of course any good science fiction ought to be prescient, so besides explaining this obvious future technology, as well as what's going to happen in 2020 and why today's type of fingernail clippers are still being used in the future, the story rightly foresaw the rise of Tesla in its footnote: "Tesla, which was more of a cult hit early on with its plug-in cars, ended up enjoying a pretty piece of the car market when its plug-ins went mainstream; and keeping that pretty piece when the grid went live and Tesla kept developing some of the best looking cars."
So here's the excerpt from D&S that mentions Tesla:
* * * * *
Holovisions — aka TVs — were universal possessions, even where food was scarce. At the least, one home in a village would own one, and people would gather into the home for soccer games and anything else of gargantuan importance. Of course with every show being digital, the world government could easily monitor who was watching what. But it was more than that. The 3D nature of HV required several, ultra-mini projectors that simultaneously scanned the viewer's eye patterns, meaning they could tell exactly what you were looking at. Even better, they could scan the room for subtle temperature changes, so they knew when something was exciting a person.
The technology was sold, of course, as a way to bring more customized advertising to the viewer, so you wouldn't be bored watching commercials that held no appeal. Someone who focused on the cars in a movie scene might be treated to more Tesla commercials or an upcoming monster truck rally. Someone focused on, well, "girly parts" might get more in the way of strip club ads or — if the scanners picked up on a ring — Victoria Secret ads. Someone focused on shoes would see ads on fashion and, if they'd really heated up, on that particular type of shoe.
But the government found it a happy way for discovering and arresting ....
* * * * *
Well, you get the idea.
Of course any good science fiction ought to be prescient, so besides explaining this obvious future technology, as well as what's going to happen in 2020 and why today's type of fingernail clippers are still being used in the future, the story rightly foresaw the rise of Tesla in its footnote: "Tesla, which was more of a cult hit early on with its plug-in cars, ended up enjoying a pretty piece of the car market when its plug-ins went mainstream; and keeping that pretty piece when the grid went live and Tesla kept developing some of the best looking cars."
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