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Why do you categorize self-driving trucks with robotic plumbers? A quick search shows very real options for self-driving trucks.

mytailorisrich 6y ago
Indeed. I think jobs like plumber, electrician, etc are actually the safest there are in term of automation. But self-driving trucks, especially long-haul ones that drive mostly on motorways between warehouses are likely near the top of the list of replacement by self-driving vehicles.
- kbos87 6y ago
  Agreed. Plumbers, electricians, and other complicated/messy jobs will probably see some minor efficiency gains, but won’t be replaced by automation in any foreseeable future I can imagine.
- i_haz_rabies 6y ago
  Safest in terms of automation, sure, but the poorer society gets as more and more jobs are automated, the fewer skilled trades will be needed.
  - danaris 6y ago
    I'm not sure why society getting poorer means fewer plumbers and electricians will be needed... Provided you're not actually talking about poor people just dying off in large numbers, we'll still have roughly the same number of households, which means the same number of sinks to unclog and outlets to wire. I suppose it might be true that fewer people will be able to afford the services of skilled professionals, but that's not at all the same as saying that fewer will be needed...
    - i_haz_rabies 6y ago
      Not being able to afford a service and being dead is functionally the same thing from the service provider's perspective.
lotsofpulp 6y ago
Link to options for self driving trucks? I don’t see any when I search.
- derwiki 6y ago
  https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/7/1/21308539/self-driving-autonomous-trucks-ups-freight-network https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/7/1/21308539/self-driving-au... > TuSimple is hardly the only company working to making fully automated shipping a reality. Several companies, including Aurora, Daimler, and Embark Trucks, are competing for a slice of the future of self-driving freight trucks. Alphabet-owned Waymo confirmed on Tuesday that it will be expanding its own self-driving trucking routes throughout the American Southwest and Texas, following previous tests in Arizona, California, Michigan, and Georgia
  - lotsofpulp 6y ago
    “Real options” means available to purchase, in my opinion. None of those are ready for any truck company to replace their drivers with.
    - derwiki 6y ago
      Gotcha, sounds like a miscommunication. I meant real as in, people are working on it and it’s not vaporware. In the same way that I don’t see autonomous plumbing companies when I search.
      - scollet 6y ago
        I actually see plumbers getting highly specialized as the infra gets more sohpisticated. Automation in that regard is probably a later iteration of the automated household where now we have auxillary vacuums, embedded iot light controllers, and so forth.
AntiImperialist 6y ago
One can also search for lizard people and alien takeover which may seem just as "real" to some, but fully automated trucks that will replace drivers is not happening.

mytailorisrich 6y ago

Indeed. I think jobs like plumber, electrician, etc are actually the safest there are in term of automation. But self-driving trucks, especially long-haul ones that drive mostly on motorways between warehouses are likely near the top of the list of replacement by self-driving vehicles.

kbos87 6y ago
Agreed. Plumbers, electricians, and other complicated/messy jobs will probably see some minor efficiency gains, but won’t be replaced by automation in any foreseeable future I can imagine.
i_haz_rabies 6y ago
Safest in terms of automation, sure, but the poorer society gets as more and more jobs are automated, the fewer skilled trades will be needed.
- danaris 6y ago
  I'm not sure why society getting poorer means fewer plumbers and electricians will be needed... Provided you're not actually talking about poor people just dying off in large numbers, we'll still have roughly the same number of households, which means the same number of sinks to unclog and outlets to wire. I suppose it might be true that fewer people will be able to afford the services of skilled professionals, but that's not at all the same as saying that fewer will be needed...
  - i_haz_rabies 6y ago
    Not being able to afford a service and being dead is functionally the same thing from the service provider's perspective.

lotsofpulp 6y ago

Link to options for self driving trucks? I don’t see any when I search.

derwiki 6y ago
https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/7/1/21308539/self-driving-autonomous-trucks-ups-freight-network https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/7/1/21308539/self-driving-au... > TuSimple is hardly the only company working to making fully automated shipping a reality. Several companies, including Aurora, Daimler, and Embark Trucks, are competing for a slice of the future of self-driving freight trucks. Alphabet-owned Waymo confirmed on Tuesday that it will be expanding its own self-driving trucking routes throughout the American Southwest and Texas, following previous tests in Arizona, California, Michigan, and Georgia
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  “Real options” means available to purchase, in my opinion. None of those are ready for any truck company to replace their drivers with.
  - derwiki 6y ago
    Gotcha, sounds like a miscommunication. I meant real as in, people are working on it and it’s not vaporware. In the same way that I don’t see autonomous plumbing companies when I search.
    - scollet 6y ago
      I actually see plumbers getting highly specialized as the infra gets more sohpisticated. Automation in that regard is probably a later iteration of the automated household where now we have auxillary vacuums, embedded iot light controllers, and so forth.

AntiImperialist 6y ago

One can also search for lizard people and alien takeover which may seem just as "real" to some, but fully automated trucks that will replace drivers is not happening.