So when automated driving becomes the standard...

[Road Runner]

What will happen to the truck drivers?  There are an estimated 3.5 million people employed as truck drivers in the US.  Seems like a lot of lost jobs.

[maddmaxx]

Almost anything robot costs jobs.  They are not economical unless they replace people or perhaps in the case of robot drivers, increase traffic density.

I could see a time in the future where people might revolt against robots replacing them.

Unlike the industrial revolution there aren't a lot of empty new lands for the unemployed to move to and start over.

[Road Runner]

My younger brother who is 57 is a truck driver.  He really has no other skills.  If he were to lose his job (career) at this point in his life, he would be almost unemployable.

[Kzoo]

I'm looking forward to the ability to safely text while driving.  It would also open up 2 more hours a day for SW forum access.

 

[Randomguy]

I am thinking that truck drivers/bus drivers are gone in 15 years or so, and pilots in another 10 or so.   

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

I'm looking forward to the ability to safely text while driving.  It would also open up 2 more hours a day for SW forum access.

 

Great, more drivel 

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

Automated driving will never become the standard because 97% of the drivers today can't drive a standard.

[Road Runner]

31 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

I am thinking that truck drivers/bus drivers are gone in 15 years or so, and pilots in another 10 or so.   

One positive side effect might be that the machines will likely follow the speed limit, unlike the current human drivers who insist on driving 10-15 above the limit.   

[Randomguy]

2 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

One positive side effect might be that the machines will likely follow the speed limit, unlike the current human drivers who insist on driving 10-15 above the limit.   

I think the speed limit is artificially low to accommodate the limits of the very worst drivers out there.  The limit could probably be raised significantly with robot drivers/cars that are chosen for speed/handling/capacity rather than looks, etc.  This could only be good.

[maddmaxx]

4 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

One positive side effect might be that the machines will likely follow the speed limit, unlike the current human drivers who insist on driving 10-15 above the limit.   

Not only that, but they refuse to get out of the left lane.  

[2Far]

24 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

One positive side effect might be that the machines will likely follow the speed limit, unlike the current human drivers who insist on driving 10-15 above the limit.   

Hey, your left blinker has been in for the last 12 miles. 

[Kzoo]

22 minutes ago, 2Far said:

Hey, your left blinker has been in for the last 12 miles. 

I resemble that remark.

[Longjohn]

I can’t really picture the driverless truck working out. Fifty years ago I worked in a Westinghouse plant that had a driverless truck. It worked somewhat ok except it didn’t react well to people doing unexpected things. They replaced a lot of overhead doors before they scrapped the idea. Where does the driverless truck go when it breaks down? Flat tire, etc. they might have better luck with driverless trains. All they have to do is follow the tracks and everyone else has to get out of the way. I never could figure out why they needed someone on the train, they don’t do anything.

[Randomguy]

15 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I can’t really picture the driverless truck working out. Fifty years ago I worked in a Westinghouse plant that had a driverless truck. It worked somewhat ok except it didn’t react well to people doing unexpected things. They replaced a lot of overhead doors before they scrapped the idea. Where does the driverless truck go when it breaks down? Flat tire, etc. they might have better luck with driverless trains. All they have to do is follow the tracks and everyone else has to get out of the way. I never could figure out why they needed someone on the train, they don’t do anything.

Put a few sensors down on the road and you essentially have a train track for a driverless vehicle, but with route-around options.  Contingencies shouldn't be hard to figure out as the technology gets more widely adopted.

The thing that will be difficult will be when the first few accidents happen and dumb people will be all uppity about it, nevermind the fact (I am sure) that they will be statistically far safer than having drivers in those vehicles.  It will be weird, though.

[Fret Buzz]

This ought to be in P & R. 

Tom

[Zephyr]

1 hour ago, Longjohn said:

I can’t really picture the driverless truck working out. Fifty years ago .......

Fifty years ago NASA scientists were working hard to invent Tang Orange Juice.  Things may be different now.  

[Longjohn]

1 minute ago, Zephyr said:

Fifty years ago NASA scientists were working hard to invent Tang Orange Juice.  Things may be different now.  

Back then they could figure out how to put a man on the moon, now they can’t even figure out how to get to the space station. 

[Randomguy]

48 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

Fifty years ago NASA scientists were working hard to invent Tang Orange Juice.  Things may be different now.  

I just want to know when they are going to put a sexbot on the moon already.