36 ms·

I'm convinced that autonomous trucks are the way to go. Free from fatigue, bad training, bad driving, and all the other things that come with human drivers, it

I'm convinced that autonomous trucks are the way to go. Free from fatigue, bad training, bad driving, and all the other things that come with human drivers, it could save lives, and maybe even reduce cost for everyone.

timbo1642 3y ago
[dead]
zolbrek 3y ago
I'm not looking forward to seeing immobilized trucks blocking the road because someone got clever with a traffic cone.
- mwint 3y ago
  There’s not much preventing people from doing this today. Maybe truck drivers wouldn’t fall for it, but the average American driver is absolutely vulnerable to a single-cone attack.
Melting_Harps 3y ago
Not surprised, as I said [0] Newsom wants to run for POTUS and he needs the endorsement and (more importantly) the money from the SV/VC king makers if he has any chance at doing it. >I'm convinced that autonomous trucks are the way to go. Free from fatigue, bad training, bad driving, and all the other things that come with human drivers, it could save lives, and maybe even reduce cost for everyone. This is peak HN techno-utopian thinking, that is only poassible due to a rather shallow analysis of the state of things: first, its myopic to rely 100% on FSD when they are currently colliding into things in cities that have favourable conditions for it (Bay Area, AZ etc...). Second, most of you probably do not drive much in middle America, the roads are often not marked and signage isn't entirely better. Sure there may be a way to overcome all of these short-comings in time when ML training becomes more refined and can do much more capable than it can now. But then you have a severe lack of connectivity in much of the US (hence why Starlink is such a massive game changer) and before you say 'well then just make them use starlink) I think Elon has proven himself to be unreliable in ensuring he can deliver services without some reason that only make sense to his deluded mind being a real threat. Honestly, if people want to take these kind of risks on the road then they need to at least be well informed on the matter: drive through the Rockies Mountains during an avalanche or even a blizzard, hell drive through Texas during one of their snow storms that takes out the entire grid--I've done all 3. You'll see why contingencies need to be in place, because modern logistics is a modern miracle and that relies on a myriad of moving pieces all working toward the same goal and even then things break. I'd be open to the idea of those Human piloted convoy methods, with a Human pilot to correct where needed, until things get to that miraculous inflection point where FSD is possible but we are so far away from that this needs to be taken serious because too much capital has been destroyed on things that quite likely will never come to fruition, and FSD being around the corner is one of them. 0: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37514843#37516811 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37514843#37516811
iancmceachern 3y ago
I'm the opposite. I'm convinced that automated trains are the way to go. Way more energy efficient per cargo pound mile. Technology already exists. Can easily ge electrified without expensive batteries that need replacing every few years.
- thehappypm 3y ago
  How would you easily electrify our freight network?
  - iancmceachern 3y ago
    The same way Europe and Asia have electrified their entire rail networks.
- wegtwergqwg 3y ago
  Why wouldn't it be both in this case? A train obviously can't go into as many areas as a truck for one. But more straightforwardly than that, non-automated trains and trucks both exist today and fulfill different roles. Why wouldn't it be the same for ai piloted versions of each?
  - az09mugen 3y ago
    For the same reason as driveless cars are not everywhere. Also, an accident caused by a truck makes way more damage as the one caused by a car. I agree with trains, way more safe thanks to the rails and less environment to take into account by the AI.
  - iancmceachern 3y ago
    "AI" Piloted trains exist today. They are safe and able to be built with current technology, with not that much cost. "AI" Piloted trucks are not.
    - wegtwergqwg 3y ago
      This doesn't really explain why you wouldn't want both though given the option.

timbo1642 3y ago

[dead]

zolbrek 3y ago

I'm not looking forward to seeing immobilized trucks blocking the road because someone got clever with a traffic cone.

mwint 3y ago
There’s not much preventing people from doing this today. Maybe truck drivers wouldn’t fall for it, but the average American driver is absolutely vulnerable to a single-cone attack.

Melting_Harps 3y ago

Not surprised, as I said [0] Newsom wants to run for POTUS and he needs the endorsement and (more importantly) the money from the SV/VC king makers if he has any chance at doing it. >I'm convinced that autonomous trucks are the way to go. Free from fatigue, bad training, bad driving, and all the other things that come with human drivers, it could save lives, and maybe even reduce cost for everyone. This is peak HN techno-utopian thinking, that is only poassible due to a rather shallow analysis of the state of things: first, its myopic to rely 100% on FSD when they are currently colliding into things in cities that have favourable conditions for it (Bay Area, AZ etc...). Second, most of you probably do not drive much in middle America, the roads are often not marked and signage isn't entirely better. Sure there may be a way to overcome all of these short-comings in time when ML training becomes more refined and can do much more capable than it can now. But then you have a severe lack of connectivity in much of the US (hence why Starlink is such a massive game changer) and before you say 'well then just make them use starlink) I think Elon has proven himself to be unreliable in ensuring he can deliver services without some reason that only make sense to his deluded mind being a real threat. Honestly, if people want to take these kind of risks on the road then they need to at least be well informed on the matter: drive through the Rockies Mountains during an avalanche or even a blizzard, hell drive through Texas during one of their snow storms that takes out the entire grid--I've done all 3. You'll see why contingencies need to be in place, because modern logistics is a modern miracle and that relies on a myriad of moving pieces all working toward the same goal and even then things break. I'd be open to the idea of those Human piloted convoy methods, with a Human pilot to correct where needed, until things get to that miraculous inflection point where FSD is possible but we are so far away from that this needs to be taken serious because too much capital has been destroyed on things that quite likely will never come to fruition, and FSD being around the corner is one of them. 0: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37514843#37516811 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37514843#37516811

iancmceachern 3y ago

I'm the opposite. I'm convinced that automated trains are the way to go. Way more energy efficient per cargo pound mile. Technology already exists. Can easily ge electrified without expensive batteries that need replacing every few years.

thehappypm 3y ago
How would you easily electrify our freight network?
- iancmceachern 3y ago
  The same way Europe and Asia have electrified their entire rail networks.
wegtwergqwg 3y ago
Why wouldn't it be both in this case? A train obviously can't go into as many areas as a truck for one. But more straightforwardly than that, non-automated trains and trucks both exist today and fulfill different roles. Why wouldn't it be the same for ai piloted versions of each?
- az09mugen 3y ago
  For the same reason as driveless cars are not everywhere. Also, an accident caused by a truck makes way more damage as the one caused by a car. I agree with trains, way more safe thanks to the rails and less environment to take into account by the AI.
- iancmceachern 3y ago
  "AI" Piloted trains exist today. They are safe and able to be built with current technology, with not that much cost. "AI" Piloted trucks are not.
  - wegtwergqwg 3y ago
    This doesn't really explain why you wouldn't want both though given the option.