Coming to a highway near you: self-driving tractor-trailers.
Gee...what could possibly go wrong?
https://wapo.st/3xlJxje
Gee...what could possibly go wrong?
https://wapo.st/3xlJxje
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Self-driving tractor-trailers...
- Thread starter Beemerguy53
- Start date
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While I feel bad for independent truckers whose livelihoods may be threatened by this I am, at the same time, none too concerned over how my beer gets to the drive-thru.
To quote Mr. Zimmerman: "the times they are a-changing".
To quote Mr. Zimmerman: "the times they are a-changing".
bamabiker
Member
I hate stuff like this. I want to see Americans working.
Oh he** no.
The ambulance chasers are going to have a field day. A number of victims will end up owning trucking companies.
coltle6920
Member
As long as they aren't made by BOEING.....
Oh heck no, no way. Maybe in another decade after self-driving cars are as reliable as autopilots on aircraft. Or maybe try self-driving freight trains first. At least they are on rails on their own right of way, with far fewer inputs to deal with.
LVSteve
Member
The novel, "Computer One" by Warrick Collins hints that the switch-over from humans as working stiffs to a race trying to work out what to do with all their leisure was not entirely smooth. He also hinted that most large cities were dismantled and the people dispersed more evenly across the land, maybe in reduced numbers during the "adjustment".
The days of assuming the vast majority of adults will be employed are likely numbered. I doubt the change will occur in my lifetime, and neither do I think it will be painless. "Driven" societies will suffer most, I'm thinking mostly of the Japanese and the Koreans.
OP
Ooops, conflated the article with a discussion I was having at the same time on FB with a fellow truck driver about EV and self driving trucks.
The military have been using driverless truck convoys for many years. First truck has real people in it. Then 12 robot trucks followed by the tail truck with people in it. All blacked out windows in the robot trucks and lots of antennas.
I notice all or most of the testing is in Texas. Not many if any winter driving conditions. Wait till that truck gets into a mountainous area of the northeast with snow and especially black ice. Not only that, someone will have to back it into a dock upon arrival. This will never work for pedaling LTL in a city. Their goal must be terminal to terminal.
As a person with a bunch of large truck driving experience it appears with a lot of the potential new rules and ideas, someone whose biggest/baddest thing they drive is a Toyota Corolla is in charge of things!
Can it navigate as well as me while driving overnight during lovebug season followed by dense fog?
How good are the sensors when packed with dead bugs?
How good are the sensors when packed with dead bugs?
"Slow down Hal."
"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."
"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."
Count me as one who would have a dozen ambulance chasers on speed dial.
LVSteve
Member
If this country would invest in railroads properly we wouldn't have to worry about self-driving trucks on our roads. What are most freight trains limited to because of the condition of much of the railway system, 45 mph, 50 mph at most? Yes, I know all the "just in time" economists will now be howling, but if we learned nothing from COVID it should be that JIT leaves the economy extremely vulnerable.
Doug M.
Member
In theory, rail freight can be done far more efficiently than long haul trucking. My understanding is that anything over 300 miles should be on rails. However, having loaded freight that rail companies did not pick up in a timely manner for whatever reason, and having shippers pay a lot more for expedited service, I am sure that trucks will continue to be the main freight mover for quite awhile.
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