Affectation, Articulations, Learning: Towards Technoanthropological Symmetrization of Drivers and AVs Bodies

Abstract

The article discusses autonomous vehicles (AVs) and considers them in relation to the Body concept of Bruno Latour. It deals with the acquisition of the body of a driver and an autonomous vehicle. I examine the cases of sensors and testing of Waymo. Bodies learn how to be affected and to articulate propositions. Both the human driver and the AV register more and more differences, multiplying articulated propositions. I argue that Latour’s concept is capable of tracing the fluid ontology of human and technological bodies. It allows us to follow the path of symmetrical description of people and technologies, to track the dynamics of bodies and see that they are not fixed. The analysis of such bodies cannot be considered in isolation from the artificially created set-up. Latour’s concept turns out to be relevant for technical and organic bodies.