And so, Skynet begins.

[WoundedKnee]

IF YOU LIVE in Southern California and you’ve ordered one of those fancy new smart refrigerators in the past few weeks, it may have hitched a ride to you on a robotruck.

Since early October, autonomous trucks built and operated by the startup Embark have been hauling Frigidaire refrigerators 650 miles along the I-10 freeway, from a warehouse in El Paso, Texas, to a distribution center in Palm Springs, California. A human driver rides in the cab to monitor the computer chauffeur for now, but the ultimate goal of this (auto) pilot program is to dump the fleshbag and let the trucks rumble solo down the highway.

“This is the first time someone has demonstrated this end-to-end," Embark CEO Alex Rodrigues says. "It showcases the way that we see self-driving playing into the logistics industry.”

They’ve got some good arguments. First off, making a robot that can drive itself on the highway, where trucks spend nearly all their time, is relatively easy. You don’t have to account for pedestrians, cyclists, traffic lights, or other variables. The big rig just has to stay in its lane and keep a safe distance from fellow travelers.

In the US, more than 4,000 people die in crashes involving trucks every year, crashes that nearly always result from human error. That’s why the American Trucking Associations has embraced the new tech, recently issuing its first autonomous vehicle policy, calling for uniform federal laws that could help developers and researchers make automated and connected vehicles safer than humans. (The Teamsters are less enthused, and have pushed against the inclusion of commercial vehicles in coming federal legislation.)

https://www.wired.com/story/embark-self-driving-truck-deliveries/

California [Silicon Valley]: Leading the way in putting people out of work.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

California [Silicon Valley]: Leading the way in putting people out of work.

Yeah. Kind of like the thousands of blacksmiths in the early 20th century who were royally pissed at Henry Ford.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Yeah. Kind of like the thousands of blacksmiths in the early 20th century who were royally pissed at Henry Ford.

Not to mention all the wagon wheel repair shops and buggy whip makers.

 

[AngusBridie]

I'm still pissed about this, I wanted to be a whip making blacksmith

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

And so I rose, from humble beginnings as a lowly truck driver to RULE THE WORLD! cue maniacal laughter.

 

[ryan8558]

Just had a thought. How will the truck know a state trooper wants it to pull over?

 

[slutindianwife]

What happens to all those truck drivers who get an income driving their trucks?

 

[AngusBridie]

What happens to all those truck drivers who get an income driving their trucks?

The obvious of course, their wives will leave them and take their children away because,, equality.. or lack thereof.

Just had a thought. How will the truck know a state trooper wants it to pull over?

I'm glad you asked this question, I've been waiting for this... Because ROBOTS !!!! people are unhappy with the police, right wrong or indifferent, they want perfection. You'll never get that with humans. Answer? ROBOTS !!!!
ARM ROBOTS WITH GUNS and make them civil servants. I say the first place we start is Detroit..

This post might belong in the Art imitates life section.

 

[Richard_P_Feynman]

Just had a thought. How will the truck know a state trooper wants it to pull over?

Recognizing flashing blue and red lights should be a fairly easy problem for machine learning and computer vision.

The obvious of course, their wives will leave them and take their children away because,, equality.. or lack thereof.




I'm glad you asked this question, I've been waiting for this... Because ROBOTS !!!! people are unhappy with the police, right wrong or indifferent, they want perfection. You'll never get that with humans. Answer? ROBOTS !!!!
ARM ROBOTS WITH GUNS and make them civil servants. I say the first place we start is Detroit..

This post might belong in the Art imitates life section.

Oddly enough, I could imagine a pretty strong argument for android officers. Imagine a police officer who always obeys the letter of the law and protocol, who (almost?) never has to resort to lethal force, and who substitutes for flesh and blood officers in high risk situations.

#BlackLivesMatter
#BlueLivesMatter

 

[Rightguide]

We have to recognize physical efforts of much of the labor force are being pushed into obsolescence by more efficient technology like the employment of robots. Much of the American workforce needs to be re-educated or retrained to reflect the needs of industry. Industry itself has no moral responsibility to employ people in pursuit of solutions to the economic demands they intend to satisfy through the production products that do so. So, it's up to people to take actions that make them valuable assets to industry.

 

[AngusBridie]

Oddly enough, I could imagine a pretty strong argument for android officers. Imagine a police officer who always obeys the letter of the law and protocol, who (almost?) never has to resort to lethal force, and who substitutes for flesh and blood officers in high risk situations.

#BlackLivesMatter
#BlueLivesMatter

I could too honestly, unfortunately high risk situations aren't always foreseen, Sure you could use them in situations where lethal force is clear and present, however, in the end, you'd need full time androids if you'd want situations where police fk up and use lethal force when not necessary in situations that were unforeseen. then begins the slippery slope of what are humans still trusted to do? If Androids were created by humans, are they to be trusted to be perfect.

We've seen the Sci Fi of all this.. RoboCop and shitty Will Smith movies.

 

[ryan8558]

With Robotrucker we would've never had Smokey and the Bandit

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
We're gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ole bandit run

Keep your foot hard on the peddle son, never mind them brakes
Let it all hang out 'cause we've got a run to make
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta, and there's beer in Texarkana
And we'll bring it back no matter what it takes

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
We're gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ole bandit run

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
We're gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ole bandit run

Old Smokey's got them ears on, he's hot on your trail
And he ain't gonna rest 'til you're in jail
So, you gotta' dodge him, you gotta' duck him
You gotta' keep that diesel truckin'
Just put that hammer down and give it hell

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
We're gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ole bandit run

 

[Bidin~Time]

Currently, there is driver shortage in the 50k range. Couple that with the implementation of ELDs, and I can see how the robotrucks look attractive as a business model.

 

[Hypoxia]

What happens to all those truck drivers who get an income driving their trucks?

A new generation of Uber drivers. Till Uber goes all autopilot, of course. Then we'll see another uptick in opioid, crack, and alcohol fatalities.

There's a difference between this and the horse-to-automobile transition.

Horses can be eaten.

 

[OldJourno]

What happens to all those truck drivers who get an income driving their trucks?

The become telephone operators.

 

[jaF0]

What happens to all those truck drivers who get an income driving their trucks?

They'll find other things to do so their asses won't be so gigantically fat any more?

 

[DavidKim]

https://www.wired.com/story/embark-self-driving-truck-deliveries/

California [Silicon Valley]: Leading the way in putting people out of work.

And they know everything... every post you've ever made, every email you ever sent or read, every phone call you have... your TV, phone and car are all rats!

 

[Bidin~Time]

Does anyone have any opinions on the federally mandated ELDs?

 

[jaF0]

Does anyone have any opinions on the federally mandated ELDs?

If you mean Emergency Location Devices, I have no problem with them on any commercial vehicle. On personal vehicles, well, don't get me started.

 

[Bidin~Time]

Electronic Logging Devices as mandated by USDOT/FMCSA

 

[Colonel Hogan]

Just had a thought. How will the truck know a state trooper wants it to pull over?

And who steps out of the car if the trooper wants to do a search for contraband?

 

[jaF0]

And who steps out of the car if the trooper wants to do a search for contraband?

K.I.T.T. ?

 

[Hypoxia]

In the bright world of the near-future, all motor vehicles in the Western world (at least) will constantly report electronically to the state or national gov't highway control agency. All vehicles' location, speed, and erratic movements will instantly be known as we're all "watched over by machines of loving grace." (Brautigan)

Exceed the speed limit except when passing, or make an illegal turn, or run a stop light? Automatic ticket. Drove X miles or kilometers? Road-tax assessment (toll). Your insurance or license lapsed? Car won't start. All for everyone's good.

How to avoid this? Build and ride your own bicycle or skateboard. (Don't trust manufactured ones.)

 

[Saint Peter]

Who will donate to the Lot Lizards?



So unfair.

 

[neci]

if anything flies over my house, i am shooting it.