Half Of Us Will Be Unemployed In 5 Years.

I've written an article about the absurdity of computers taking over the trucking industry:

Self Driving Trucks Are Not Coming Anytime Soon

Brett wrote a very good article debunking all the autonomous truck talk. It definitely put me at easy. I do think that the job will change in the coming years. Maybe something where we could do some sort of auto pilot while on the highway in safe conditions for a period of time. But there’s just too much for the transportation industry to be automated.

There will be advances in autonomous navigation in coming years - if the current generation of adaptive cruise, lanekeeper and brake assist is any indication. I mean, you can go to sleep or have sex in a Tesla on autopilot (and you can also crash one with fiery fatal results).

One of the things the systems really requires, is BANDWIDTH - that is - 5G saturation, as onboard systems will have to be able to communicate with central controllers (computers).

And the thing the system just can't compensate for is HUMAN NATURE - that is - the "idiot element". Much as they (we) try - we're not going to be able to adequately compensate for non-computer controlled vehicles random acts of stupidity - unless ALL VEHICLES ARE COMPUTER CONTROLLED. We'll be driving FLYING CARS before that even comes close to being a reality.

While there are "pilot programs" out there - and uber/google/amazon are doing autonomous cars (and drones in the case of amazon and others for deliveries) in certain areas - all it will take is one computer-controlled tractor-trailer rig to take out a school bus of 1st graders.

This is (and isn't) a case of "chicken little" - but it's still FAR AWAY (far being in terms of a decade or likely much more), before the technology is safe enough to eliminate the driver in the cab completely. That and the COST FACTOR of the rigs, will still make it less expensive to pay HUMANS to drive, than buy trucks. It will also require massive upgrades in road infrastructure (and we can barely afford to keep bridges from falling down) and high speed internet infrastructure, as well as huge progress in the way of AI (which scares the bejesus out of me).

THE REDCOATS ARE COMING - THE REDCOATS ARE COMING!!! In this case they were - in our case they ARE, but not for quite some time yet. It will be awhile before we see a truck negotiating that sweet Dollar General dock all on it's won.

Rick

Rick said: "I mean, you can go to sleep or have sex in a Tesla on autopilot ...."

Rick, are these Tesla models available to the general public? Where might I find one?

I mean, you can go to sleep or have sex in a Tesla on autopilot

I hope the sleeping driver is better at autopilot during sex than these trucks. otherwise i feel bad for the woman.

Rick said: "I mean, you can go to sleep or have sex in a Tesla on autopilot ...."

Rick, are these Tesla models available to the general public? Where might I find one?

Seriously - this made the news a few weeks ago - and there's video on ....hub of it. Thanks to Fox News, it got like a million hits.

Telsa models are currently available - porn star not included...

Rick

Seriously - this made the news a few weeks ago - and there's video on ....hub of it. Thanks to Fox News, it got like a million hits.

Well, I had to take a look (for scientific purposes) and sure enough there's one in there with over 15 million views. I think in that event I'd be even more scared of trusting autopilot.......

Loves is going to loose a lot of money with all the new stops they’re putting up if half of us are going to be out of a job in 5 years.

Well, I had to take a look (for scientific purposes) and sure enough there's one in there with over 15 million views. I think in that event I'd be even more scared of trusting autopilot.......

Purely scientific - and you closed the site right after.

Hmmmm - OK.

Rick

Forget driving in blizzards, construction, chaining, etc. You are all correct, no way, but even driving in traffic, say, Massachusetts, especially in the hills, would be beyond it’s capabilities. It would constantly be slamming on the brakes. Massachusetts drivers merge at 45, then speed up. They will also slow down going uphill just to make you slow down, then take off, just for spite.

And we all know what happens next, right? The slow climb back up to speed. They would never get anywhere.

No worries on laying off drivers. All this new technology on the new style "idiot trucks" the fleets run keeps them in the shop on a regular basis.

My 2018 cascadia fleet trash special constantly needs a reboot or an antenna replaced or adjusted on the radar. The lane departure Constantly pings on just about anything shiny especially the tar snakes.

The ABS light is constantly on due mostely to dirty sensors on the many trailers I drop and hook with. So much so that most of the bulbs are unplugged on the dr.side of the trailer.

The check engine lights goes on a few times each week but usually goes out after a reboot.

I've had countless sensors replaced.

The tire pressure sensors get stupid if I keep less than 110lbs in the tires.

This is the 8th cascadia I've driven as a co. driver for this outfit over a 6 year hitch. Changing divisions 3 times accounted for that. Another broke down so much they took it out of service. This is the first new one. All the others weren't as good as this one. DEF is another problem but not do much with this 2018 as it was eith the others. The new people net system we switched to is an absolute mess. Messages get missed time stamps are always late or sometimes not at all

Now about autonomous trucks, I wouldent get too worried. They cant keep the new technology working regularly on this stuff now. Besides. If they ever do get it working they will need a station waggon pulling a trailer with spare parts full of geeks following that truck.