Self Driving Cars

[The Feral Slasher]

It will be really interesting to see how fast self driving cars become reality. Lots of interesting effects on jobs and other things that aren't so obvious. It would be great to not have to pay for car insurance.

https://mishtalk.com/2017/04/08/second-order-consequences-of-self-driving-vehicles/#more-45221

How Many Jobs?

All Trucking says “There are approximately 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States, according to estimates by the American Trucking Association. The total number of people employed in the industry, including those in positions that do not entail driving, exceeds 8.7 million.”

I may have over-estimated the number of long-haul jobs that vanish. However, I may have under-estimated the add-on effects.

[TranaGreg]

Yep ... if you think that the pissed off, unemployed rust belt were a big driver for change with Trump, it will be interesting to see what happens when these 8.7 million join them.

[Fresno Bob]

trucking, taxis, intracity delivery...all will be crushed

[baldgriff]

And how many of you will feel comfortable about "self driven" semi-trucks being on the roads?

[Hodor]

And how many of you will feel comfortable about "self driven" semi-trucks being on the roads?

I



Robot

[The Feral Slasher]

And how many of you will feel comfortable about "self driven" semi-trucks being on the roads?

You think some large corporation won't see the profit in laying off all their drivers ? Isn't that the basis of capitalism ? Our comfort has nothing to do with it. It will happen, just a matter of when.

[MrFurious]

The vehicles will still have to be manned. Those jobs won't disappear, but they may have reduced pay. There will still be times when a driver will have to take over.

The current technology relies on roads being marked well and in good shape which is not even close to true across the country.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/wheres-lane-self-driving-cars-confused-shabby-u-100918814--finance.html

[Gregg]

And how many of you will feel comfortable about "self driven" semi-trucks being on the roads?

To add to this; how many of you would feel comfortable ridding in the passenger seat of a self driven car?

[The Feral Slasher]

The vehicles will still have to be manned. Those jobs won't disappear, but they may have reduced pay. There will still be times when a driver will have to take over.

The current technology relies on roads being marked well and in good shape which is not even close to true across the country.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/wheres-la...--finance.html

I don't think anyone is claiming this is going to happen today, so current technology isn't really an issue. The question is how fast it will be achieved. I don't really know that much about computers/technology, but I don't really think it will be an issue in the long run. I'd be curious to hear if anyone thinks that it won't happen, and why.

[The Feral Slasher]

To add to this; how many of you would feel comfortable ridding in the passenger seat of a self driven car?

I'll bet one day most of us will.

[Gregg]

I'll bet one day most of us will.

Probably, but I am not going first.

[TranaGreg]

You think some large corporation won't see the profit in laying off all their drivers ? Isn't that the basis of capitalism ? Our comfort has nothing to do with it. It will happen, just a matter of when.

This.

Where drivers are restricted by law from driving more than 11 hours per day without taking an 8-hour break, a driverless truck can drive nearly 24 hours per day. That means the technology would effectively double the output of the U.S. transportation network at 25 percent of the cost.

[baldgriff]

While I dont disagree with any of what is being stated about capitalism and technological effectiveness, there is going to have to be a real concerted effort to upgrade and maintain our infrastructure in a much more proactive manner than is currently being done before we see a fully functional self driven transportation system. We have way to many highways, roads and bridges in such disrepair that it likely just isnt feasible.

Also, while the driving job may disappear in 25 years - the job of infrastructure maintenance may become more important than ever if we are to become dependent on self driving auto mobiles.

[TranaGreg]

hmmm ... 25 years ago Mark Zuckerberg was in the second grade ... technology moves a lot quicker than that; if I had to guess I'd say 5-10 years.

[Redbirds Fan]

hmmm ... 25 years ago Mark Zuckerberg was in the second grade ... technology moves a lot quicker than that; if I had to guess I'd say 5-10 years.

Technology outpaces infrastructure. That's why we already have so much power and functionality in our hand-held devices, but don't have driver-less cars already.

My guess is that it would be easier and cheaper to develop coast-to-coast mass transit and shipping that it would be to rebuild our highways to accommodate 300 million new driverless cars. That would, however, run contrary to the American ideal of freedom of the open road, man behind the wheel, etc.