Johnny Cab

The Johnny Cab character bears a remarkable resemblance to the cab driver in Monkey Business (1952).

Was this scene the direct inspiration for Johnny Cab?

Johhny Cab, A self-driving car! With a snappy personality! Johnny’s got a lot of potential, but ultimately falls short of greatness; he’s installed in a pretty weak car, he’s not much of a getaway driver, and leaving without paying means — he’ll explode.^[2]

Robert Picardo played the voice and his face was used as the model for Johnny Cab.^[1]

Johnny Cab is an automated taxi service, consisting of small self-driving vehicles piloted by an integrated conversational android that acts on passenger voice commands. Much like a human taxi driver, “Johnny” will whistle tunes and engage in small talk during the ride, and is even capable of expressing emotional states.^[3] The concept of Johnny Cab was inspired from the taxi “robot driver of the cab” in Philip K. Dick’s short story (1966), We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.

The robot driver of the cab (a Johnny Cab) as depicted in Philip K. Dick’s short story (1966), "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale", (Page 8). Note: Quail is the original last name of Douglas Quaid.

Excerpt from page 8

"Recall," he said aloud.

"Recall what, sir or madam?" the robot driver of the cab inquired respectfully.

"Do you have a phone book?" Quail demanded.

"Certainly, sir or madam." A slot opened; from it slid a microtape phone book for Cook County.

"It's spelled oddly," Quail said as he leafed through the pages of the yellow section. He felt fear, then; abiding fear. "Here it is," he said. "Take me there, to Rekal, Incorporated. I've changed my mind; I don't want to go home."

"Yes, sir or madam, as the case may be," the driver said. A moment later the cab was zipping back in the opposite direction.

"May I make use of your phone?" he asked.

"Be my guest," the robot driver said. And presented a shiny new emperor 3-D color phone to him. He dialed his own conapt. And after a pause found himself confronted by a miniature but chillingly realistic image of Kirsten on the small screen. "I've been to Mars," he said to her.

"You're drunk." Her lips writhed scornfully. "Or worse."