TECHNOLOGY · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Short Film ‘Road Rage’ Casts Robotaxi as Villain in San Francisco Car Chase
WHY IT MATTERS
The film’s Kickstarter campaign demonstrates how autonomous vehicle anxieties are entering mainstream media, potentially influencing public perception and policy discussions about AI safety and regulation.
What happened
A new short film, titled ‘Road Rage,’ is being produced on Kickstarter with a $40,000 goal. The story follows a San Francisco car chase in which the driver is a robotaxi that may be trying to kill the human protagonist.
The film blends elements of classic car chase movies with contemporary concerns about autonomous vehicles. It highlights fears of AI job displacement, Big Tech surveillance, and machines making decisions that were once human.
By portraying a robotaxi as a threat, the project reflects how autonomous cars have moved from science‑fiction curiosities to everyday fixtures that stir public anxiety.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Robotaxis enter their villain era
The Verge · Rani Molla · Discovery only; Vox Media copyright terms apply