A processor-implemented method controls a self-driving vehicle (SDV). One or more processors receive, from one or more physical sensors, physical state readings that describe a physical environment of multiple persons that are in spatial proximity with one another. The processors determine, based on the physical state readings, a context of a physical setting of the multiple persons. The processors identify, based on the context of the physical setting of the multiple persons, an SDV that is known to modify a state of the multiple persons. The processor(s) then transmit, to a device controller, a device activation signal to activate the SDV, in order to transport cargo that one of the multiple persons was previously scheduled to transport.