This Car Comes With Ground Control

I’m showing a customer around one of the newer models on the lot. We get inside, and I turn on the display to show off the safety features.

Me: “This is the collision detection system. See, it shows a full view around the car. It’s useful for parking, blind spots, and tight turns.”

The screen lights up, showing the 360° view. It’s simulated as if we’re looking from above.

Customer: *Eyes wide.* “Wow. So the car has its own private satellite?”

Me: “Uh… no, sir, it’s using cameras built into the mirrors, grille, and trunk to stitch together the view.”

Customer: “Are you sure? Because that looks like it’s straight from space.”

Me: “Yes, sir. If we had a satellite parked directly above every single car, we’d probably be charging more than $40k a vehicle.”

Customer: “Yeah… but it really looks like NASA stuff. I saw they make cars for Mars now.”

Luckily for me, he’s impressed with “all this space tech,” and I make the sale. As we’re doing the paperwork, he calls his wife to say:

Customer: “Yeah, honey, I got a NASA car! You can see it from space!”

Also, luckily for me and the customer, the specific car/model/color he wants is actually on the lot.

Me: “Hey, [Coworker], can you bring around [Specific Car]?”

Coworker: “Sure. Give me a few minutes, as it’s in the satellite parking lot.”

Customer: “I knew it!”

When I was telling my coworker about it later, he seemed less enthused:

Coworker: “Ugh, I wish we had access to satellites! The dealership Wi-Fi can barely handle YouTube!”