At the same time, such a system would bring potential problems of the same order of magnitude as those it alleviates. The software and sovereignty questions don ’ t abide easy answers. First, the legal identity of this composite User is not immediately clear. Several states have already passed legislation indicating that autonomous vehicles are legal to operate on their roads, thereby establishing the baseline that such machines are at least not criminal. But considering the quantity, complexity, and sensitivity of the data generated by such technologies, all working in concert, as well as the expertise and infrastructure necessary to conduct the rhythms of the swarm safely and effectively, it ’ s not likely that any Department of Motor Vehicles is a likely candidate to govern a network of pilotless vehicles. Who is, then? Is the working presumption that over time, drivers will subscribe to personal mobility platforms that operate with sufficient autonomy from the agencies ill equipped to monitor anything of this sort? When would such a platform, linking cities and vehicles into one metamachine, require clearance from every single state legislature for intercontinental cargo traffic to flow? Surely the
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