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That's partly an effect of being on HN. In non tech circles - the vast majority of the world - people are pretty famous for measuring risks by perception and n
by intended 11y ago
That's partly an effect of being on HN.
In non tech circles - the vast majority of the world - people are pretty famous for measuring risks by perception and not statistics.
The idea of a robotic truck taking away jobs while also being a risk to life? America would take up mass transit before it buys into that system.
Man I can see the headlines and political/ emotional arguments now. Godless SV tech priests rob Americans of the last few jobs they have. 1% and automation, no job left behind.!
It's useful to remember that People refused seat belts until the argument was irrefutable. Hell doctors didn't wash hands regularly until it was drilled into their heads that they were infecting patients.
And when it come to automated personal care - I bet that People will utterly, vociferously, oppose the loss of their agency in controlling their means of movement.
People have romanticized the man and the horse, the man and the bike, the car - but it's because it's a matter of controlling that power.
Selling that to the American public and the world at large is a multi generational effort.
- Al-Khwarizmi 11y agoMaybe the American reaction will be like that, but my feeling is that if that happens, then China will take advantage of it by pushing automated driving while ignoring the emotional arguments (authoritarian governments have their advantages in this kind of things...) And then, the rest of the world will have to follow so as not to be left behind an industrial revolution...
- sqeaky 11y agoAmerica is not a single unified entity. All it takes is one trucking business to outcompete another for all the trucking companies to follow suit in the following decade. As for individuals, the government might gives tax breaks or ban the things. I think it is most that likely early adopters will use them and brag to everyone how much they save on fuel and airline tickets and how more (work, reading, video games, etc... ) they can do while travelling. Of course there will be holdouts, but they will be quickly outnumbered. Eventually so few manual drivers will be on the road that they are the exception and 99% of the accidents will be their fault. Then states will start banning driving manually.
- intended 11y agoThink Monsanto, not Ford/GM. And why would I want more places I can work, at least when I drive I am not expected to be working.
- sqeaky 11y agoYour inability to dictate where and when you work will not dictate my ability choose where and when I will work. Also Monsanto has nothing to do with anything here, unless you care to explain.