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> All of this comes at cost to human workers - but it's inevitable. I disagree. Specifically, you are assuming that the human workers will quietly accept their

by pm24601 10y ago

> All of this comes at cost to human workers - but it's inevitable. I disagree. Specifically, you are assuming that the human workers will quietly accept their fate.

djrogers 10y ago
Not quietly, no, but it's no less inevitable. History is full of jobs that have been automated away, and few of those historical examples offered a more obvious and large payoff.
- pm24601 10y ago
  I do notice you are avoiding my central point: With railroads, there is not an economic incentive for automation. One commentator suggested that driverless trucks would have to be separated from human drivers. Railroads have this thing called "tracks" Another suggested the wonderful advantage of a driverless truck not getting into accidents. Railroads have an excellent safety record. Driverless trucks as a way to reduce the need to spend money on humans. Railroads need only 2 humans for 100+ unit train that is equivalent to 300 or so trucks. ( 1 railcar = 3 truckloads https://www.chrobinson.com/en/us/Logistics/Intermodal-Rail/Carload/ https://www.chrobinson.com/en/us/Logistics/Intermodal-Rail/C... ) Trains are 10x more ( http://grist.org/article/freight-trains-19th-century-technology-due-for-a-21st-century-revival/ http://grist.org/article/freight-trains-19th-century-technol... ) more energy efficient than trucks. What is the economic model to use driverless trucks? Sure the trucking industry will push for this. But the railroad industry has so many natural advantages.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - unprepare 10y ago
    >What is the economic model to use driverless trucks? Road goes to more places than train tracks. You dont really need more than that...
  - icebraining 10y ago
    What is the economic model to use driverless trucks? The same as for trucks with drivers (only cheaper) and those already control much of the transportation business.
lunchTime42 10y ago
Butlerian Jihad! You shall not have thinking machines.

by pm24601 10y ago

> All of this comes at cost to human workers - but it's inevitable. I disagree. Specifically, you are assuming that the human workers will quietly accept their fate.

djrogers 10y ago

Not quietly, no, but it's no less inevitable. History is full of jobs that have been automated away, and few of those historical examples offered a more obvious and large payoff.

pm24601 10y ago
I do notice you are avoiding my central point: With railroads, there is not an economic incentive for automation. One commentator suggested that driverless trucks would have to be separated from human drivers. Railroads have this thing called "tracks" Another suggested the wonderful advantage of a driverless truck not getting into accidents. Railroads have an excellent safety record. Driverless trucks as a way to reduce the need to spend money on humans. Railroads need only 2 humans for 100+ unit train that is equivalent to 300 or so trucks. ( 1 railcar = 3 truckloads https://www.chrobinson.com/en/us/Logistics/Intermodal-Rail/Carload/ https://www.chrobinson.com/en/us/Logistics/Intermodal-Rail/C... ) Trains are 10x more ( http://grist.org/article/freight-trains-19th-century-technology-due-for-a-21st-century-revival/ http://grist.org/article/freight-trains-19th-century-technol... ) more energy efficient than trucks. What is the economic model to use driverless trucks? Sure the trucking industry will push for this. But the railroad industry has so many natural advantages.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- unprepare 10y ago
  >What is the economic model to use driverless trucks? Road goes to more places than train tracks. You dont really need more than that...
- icebraining 10y ago
  What is the economic model to use driverless trucks? The same as for trucks with drivers (only cheaper) and those already control much of the transportation business.

lunchTime42 10y ago

Butlerian Jihad! You shall not have thinking machines.