4 ms·

I think there's lots of things people don't realize what a driverless car means. Most people claim they like driving, but sit in a car with any of them and mos

I think there's lots of things people don't realize what a driverless car means. Most people claim they like driving, but sit in a car with any of them and most don't enjoy it. Beyond the people who road rage at the simplest of things. Everyone gets stressed when people drive erratically, can't merge properly (getting stuck behind someone on a centre-turn lane road because they can't get their vehicle out of the driving lane), can't turn faster than 1mph, etc. and keep that stress throughout the drive. What I look forward to with driverless cars is: - I can go to a bar without paying $20 for a cab there and back for $1 in gas and a 30 minute wait - My wife (without a license) can use my car without me having to drive it, plus I can pick my wife up from work without having to take the 30 minutes daily (5 1/2 days a year simply picking my wife up from work) - I can make the 3 hour drive up north on a friday night after work and not have to fight to stay awake if it's been a long day. Shit I can make the 20-hour drive to the east coast to where my wife's family lives without having to spend 20-hours driving. Whats more, the trucking industry is one of the biggest employers in NA. They're restricted to 10-hours driving a day. Not only does driverless mean more cost efficiencies, potentially less vehicles on the road, but it means goods move faster. Here in Ontario I get California strawberries and 1/2 the time they're beginning to mold. California is almost a 40 hour drive away. Meaning those strawberries are at least 4 days old. Not 2 days old. Meaning they might actually be edible.

artmageddon 15y ago
"Whats more, the trucking industry is one of the biggest employers in NA" I Agree with everything you say but I'm willing to bet that those who depend on their driving for their livelihoods will fiercely protest against this. For the record, I'm all for driverless cars, but I suppose it's easy for me to say that as a programmer.
- electromagnetic 15y ago
  True, but it's inevitable. The car manufacturers won't give a shit, and neither will their workers cause they're still in jobs and heck there might even be more job openings. I agree the truckers will fiercely protest this, but so did the luddites on the industrial looms, and so the swing rioters against the industrial thresher. Technology has led to civil unrest for centuries, literally. It doesn't matter whether the truck drivers want it or not. Tell a transport company "you can fire your drivers and get your vehicles there in under 1/2 the time". Often truck drivers get a bonus if they get their shipment in "on-time" or early (which is often ridiculously close to the ideal estimation of driving time). When one transport company realises they could potentially make every bonus then if the others don't follow suit, one company will rapidly dominate the market. Also, the truck drivers might not technically get unemployed, because a driverless truck can't change its own tire.

artmageddon 15y ago

"Whats more, the trucking industry is one of the biggest employers in NA" I Agree with everything you say but I'm willing to bet that those who depend on their driving for their livelihoods will fiercely protest against this. For the record, I'm all for driverless cars, but I suppose it's easy for me to say that as a programmer.

electromagnetic 15y ago
True, but it's inevitable. The car manufacturers won't give a shit, and neither will their workers cause they're still in jobs and heck there might even be more job openings. I agree the truckers will fiercely protest this, but so did the luddites on the industrial looms, and so the swing rioters against the industrial thresher. Technology has led to civil unrest for centuries, literally. It doesn't matter whether the truck drivers want it or not. Tell a transport company "you can fire your drivers and get your vehicles there in under 1/2 the time". Often truck drivers get a bonus if they get their shipment in "on-time" or early (which is often ridiculously close to the ideal estimation of driving time). When one transport company realises they could potentially make every bonus then if the others don't follow suit, one company will rapidly dominate the market. Also, the truck drivers might not technically get unemployed, because a driverless truck can't change its own tire.