WOULD YOU USE A DRIVERLESS TAXI SERVICE?

[Toadman]

Just saw a segment on the news about a company - https://waymo.com/, that is testing driverless vehicles in Chandler, AZ. Kind of freaked me out watching the reporter get into a driverless vehicle that pulled up to the curb and picked him up.

Not exactly sure of the tech that's even involved in stopping right next to someone who just hailed one of these vehicles. I'm not sure I would want to get in one of those vehicles. For sure my hear rate would go up a notch or two!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hqTnmn51Fg

[Vt-Freeheel]

Why give the googs money that someone is trying to feed their family with? Hard no. [until some point when they have eliminated all of the people from this job]

[Benny Profane]

Those things are literally going to become little shit boxes. People can be pretty gross if not supervised. Piss, shit and garbage.

Plus, if I was bored, it would be fun to fuck with them by either driving or even walking in front of them.

[Peruvian]

Why give the googs money that someone is trying to feed their family with? Hard no. [until some point when they have eliminated all of the people from this job]

All driving jobs (cabbies, truck drivers, etc) are not long for this world. Now is the time to figure out what we are going to do with the 3.5 million truckers that will be next to coal miners in line for their unemployment benefits in the next 15-20 years. The tech is here and is coming rapidly.

[Peruvian]

Those things are literally going to become little shit boxes. People can be pretty gross if not supervised. Piss, shit and garbage.

Plus, if I was bored, it would be fun to fuck with them by either driving or even walking in front of them.

I supsect the camera pointed right at you and the fact that they have your personal and financial info (name and credit card) will keep folks on the up and up.

[Benny Profane]

Like that camera will last long.

[Benny Profane]

All driving jobs (cabbies, truck drivers, etc) are not long for this world. Now is the time to figure out what we are going to do with the 3.5 million truckers that will be next to coal miners in line for their unemployment benefits in the next 15-20 years. The tech is here and is coming rapidly.

No it's not. This was all supposed to be rolling along and humming by now. Where is it? That kind of hype has made some people running fictional companies with no revenue billionaires, but, it's going to be a long time before it happens, if it happens at all.

[skaredshtles]

I would.

Also - welcome to, like, 3 years ago.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-w...-idUSKBN1O41M2

[skaredshtles]

No it's not. This was all supposed to be rolling along and humming by now. Where is it? That kind of hype has made some people running fictional companies with no revenue billionaires, but, it's going to be a long time before it happens, if it happens at all.

Oh, it'll happen. It appears the initial excitement has worn off somewhat, but like with most things, that's probably when the most progress gets made. Lots of companies are still working on this and it's inevitable, as Peru pointed out.

[Benny Profane]

I would.

Also - welcome to, like, 3 years ago.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-w...-idUSKBN1O41M2

Yeah, veritable psunami disruption right there. Phoenix, where everyone drives.

[Benny Profane]

Oh, it'll happen. It appears the initial excitement has worn off somewhat, but like with most things, that's probably when the most progress gets made. Lots of companies are still working on this and it's inevitable, as Peru pointed out.

Why inevitable? Do you take cabs everywhere now?

It's only inevitable if forced upon us by law. Good luck with that in 'Murica.

[MTT]

Can't wait to see a traffic jam. One person in the back seat of driverless cars. Different types of cars for different classes of people

[Peruvian]

No it's not. This was all supposed to be rolling along and humming by now. Where is it? That kind of hype has made some people running fictional companies with no revenue billionaires, but, it's going to be a long time before it happens, if it happens at all.

Oh. Okay.

[Benny Profane]

How you gonna get to the ski mountain?

[Vt-Freeheel]

Ski?

[Mofro261]

Hell no. JohnnyCab will get you killed.

The driverless Semi trucks these guys are working with that sound equally scary.

[Vt-Freeheel]

All driving jobs (cabbies, truck drivers, etc) are not long for this world. Now is the time to figure out what we are going to do with the 3.5 million truckers that will be next to coal miners in line for their unemployment benefits in the next 15-20 years. The tech is here and is coming rapidly.

Some of it I can't avoid for sure, some I can.

Going to be millions more over the next 15-20 years in many sectors losing their jobs.

[skaredshtles]

Why inevitable? Do you take cabs everywhere now?

It's only inevitable if forced upon us by law. Good luck with that in 'Murica.

Don't sweat it, man - you'll be dead long before it's ubiquitous.

[Benny Profane]

Oh, and you too. And your illegitimate offspring.

The Ford F150 has been our best selling vehicle for, what, two decades, maybe more? Then there's the zillions of giant SUVs being used to commute to cubes and shop at Whole Foods. And you really expect all of those people to welcome robot shit cars with open arms?

[skaredshtles]

<snip> And your illegitimate offspring.

That seems like an odd insult...

Oh, and I own an F-150.

[yeahman]

Agree with Benny. Never in our lifetime will you see a semi rolling down the interstate without a human aboard. Driving in the real world is not a robotic activity.

[skaredshtles]

Agree with Benny. Never in our lifetime will you see a semi rolling down the interstate without a human aboard.

Err... it has already happened.

Technically there was a human aboard, but not in a position to do any driving...

[yeahman]

Err... it has already happened.

Technically there was a human aboard, but not in a position to do any driving...

So then we haven't lost any jobs, right?

USA is too litigious. First time a driverless semi kills a family of 5, the call will be raised to always have a human aboard.

[Danno]

This thread is like the "Benny curmudgeon bat signal", glad to see it didn't disappoint.

[Toadman]

Why inevitable? Do you take cabs everywhere now?

It's only inevitable if forced upon us by law. Good luck with that in 'Murica.

There's chronic driver shortages in the trucking world. But pay enough money and you can get drivers. It was an interesting phenomenon to watch unfold.

Lots of American good old boys, and yes, a few girls too, driving big rigs all the way up and through the 80's. Then a bunch of Soviet satellite country folks immigrated to the USA. Then you started seeing Poles, Ukranians, some Latvians driving big rigs in the '90's. Down in Cali, lots of South American immigrants driving. As I left the industry it was lots and lots of Bangladeshi and Ethiopians. Now, it's a big ethnic melting pot of drivers from all over the world. Pretty scary to see and try and converse with them, as there English is so bad, there's no way they can pass the CDL examines. So, they have someone take the test for them.

But the big class 8 regional and national long haul trucking outfits want to get out from under pesky and finnicky human drivers. They get sick. They die. They complain about, pay, HOS and working conditions. Who needs all that aggravation?

It might take a few more years than people forecast to go driverless in the trucking world, but it will get here, later rather than sooner. Just my .02 cents.