More trucks on road.

[Garry 2r's]

Is amazon going to create more of this perhaps

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fedex-driver-killed-80-crash-180247002.html

I love amazon almost use it everyday. I would think it will create more traffic and miles driven for its service.  As a retired school bus driver I have pretty much seen it all. My vote is to ban cell phones from vehicles nation wide.  Michigan did it for commercial vehicles 5 years ago but still see truckers on the phone. Maybe I should take a knee for it.

[Serk]

Within a generation truck driving, as a career, will be relegated to the history books...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIlCR4eG8_o

(And that's if the drones don't take over first.)

[old2soon]

Way TOO many variables in that accident on I-80 during rush hour-been in a big truck more than once on that stretch in any and all weather conditions. And while this IS my H O the average driver don't know how to drive. Y'all been in rush hour-anyone here looked in their mirror and said-why the vehicle behind me is far enough back to prevent an accident? YEAH-neither have I-EVER. Most of the safety courses I've taken over the years have a common thread which we as drivers are always reminded of. One car length for each 10 miles per hour of speed-60 MPH 6 vehicle lengths. And every cursed time I've tried to keep that safety cushion 8 or 10 cages believed I was saving them that spot(s)!  While I do understand there are a Lot of steering wheel holders in big trucks-versus Actual Drivers-there are Way more steering wheel holders in cages and cell phone users and folks eating and worried bout how they look and-well you git the idea. Serk-i acknowledge you as very computer literate which B T W-I ain't. Wondering will that truck puter recognize that watery feeling in yer stomach when your big rig slips on black ice? Will the puter Know to pull under a viaduct at the first hail stones? And HOW well will that puter react with an extra 8000 12000 pounds of frozen "stuff" on the vehicle? I've got MORE questions but you see where I'm headed. Another question-can the puter duplicate my actual knowledge and expand on it? Will the puter be able to "free lance"? RIDE SAFE.

[Serk]

Serk-i acknowledge you as very computer literate which B T W-I ain't. Wondering will that truck puter recognize that watery feeling in yer stomach when your big rig slips on black ice? Will the puter Know to pull under a viaduct at the first hail stones? And HOW well will that puter react with an extra 8000 12000 pounds of frozen "stuff" on the vehicle? I've got MORE questions but you see where I'm headed. Another question-can the puter duplicate my actual knowledge and expand on it? Will the puter be able to "free lance"? RIDE SAFE.

Today? Not so much....

Within a generation? Definitely.

I really think within 20 years the majority of vehicles on the road will be autonomous.

My fear is if we ever get to the point where you're not ALLOWED to drive your own vehicle anymore.

(Insert Rush - Red Barchetta here)

[Jess from VA]

I'll give up my car when they peel my cold dead fingers off the steering wheel.

I can barely stand to be a passenger in anyone else's car (even if they are a good driver).

I cannot imagine sitting in a car driving itself.  (I'd probably have to get in the trunk.)

And I cannot imagine paying the extra dough for such a car either.

[Serk]

I cannot imagine sitting in a car driving itself.  (I'd probably have to get in the trunk.)

Fly a commercial airline flight in the last 20 years or so?

[Jess from VA]

I cannot imagine sitting in a car driving itself.  (I'd probably have to get in the trunk.)

Fly a commercial airline flight in the last 20 years or so?

Probably not for 15 years or so.  I'm not afraid of flying, I just greatly dislike the whole exercise/parking/lugging gear/waiting/frisking/TSA/tiny seats/screaming babies/being treated like sheep.

I'm not sure, but I believe getting a commercial pilots license is just a bit more involved than getting a driver's license.  At least it used to be.

And my trunk has like 5 times as much room as an airline coach seat.  

Off topic:  Speaking of excitement, last night (midnight) I had 10+ cop cars frantically patrolling my neighborhood, with our PD chopper overhead (for like 90 minutes).  Lights flashing, spotlights searching, setting up tactical choke points.  All around my house.  I could not tell if it was a training exercise, or Osama Bin Laden had come back to life, or I had forgotten about an unpaid parking ticket.  Going outside and asking what the hell was going on did not seem prudent, they seemed very excited.  There's always bang sticks at hand, but I got out my .45 carbine anyway, and was checking my yard for intruders (from inside only).  Called the local station today, and was told they had an armed robbery report, and our PD website put it one block from my house.  Nothing like this in my hood in 25 years.  The dispatcher said the whole report sounded fishy.... ie there may have been no robbery at all.  

[Serk]

I'm not sure, but I believe getting a commercial pilots license is just a bit more involved than getting a driver's license.  At least it used to be.

It does... But the pilot's are doing less and less all the time. The planes can ALMOST fly without 'em at this point as it is...

https://www.wired.com/story/boeing-autonomous-plane-autopilot/

[baldo]

I'm not sure, but I believe getting a commercial pilots license is just a bit more involved than getting a driver's license.  At least it used to be.

It does... But the pilot's are doing less and less all the time. The planes can ALMOST fly without 'em at this point as it is...

https://www.wired.com/story/boeing-autonomous-plane-autopilot/

I just completed training on the MD10/11, including avionics. It really is amazing how much is controlled by electronics on these planes. On a CAT 3 approach, it will take the plane down to the runway flare in almost zero/zero visibility. And most of these planes are almost 40 years old!

[Oss]

but pilots dont have to worry about some kid on a cell phone texting and hitting them

I hope trucks  (except maybe that SWIFT company      )never go away as hundreds of thousands if not a million jobs for truckers and related services are in the balance

Its honest work and we should not mess with it, or them

[hubcapsc]

Sure Wish I'd Finished Training...

-Mike "who said that?"

[Serk]

hundreds of thousands if not a million jobs for truckers and related services are in the balance

Its honest work and we should not mess with it, or them

There are about 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the USA.

And within 20 years almost all those jobs will be obsolete.

I'll go so far as to say most jobs we know of today will be obsolete within a generation.

Yes, most likely mine as well.

Heck, within the last 20 years we've already automated IT system admin roles (What I do) to the point where I'm carrying a workload that would have taken 10 or 20 people to do back then through automation tools.

Automation has already caused some major shifts in society, and there's another wave about to hit.

We'll adapt, new professions will be found (Someone's gotta keep the robots that work on the trucks working, after all )

[Rams]

We'll adapt, new professions will be found (Someone's gotta keep the robots that work on the trucks working, after all )

Maybe, or maybe they'll build a robot to fix the robots.   Then, we're screwed.

[Serk]

We'll adapt, new professions will be found (Someone's gotta keep the robots that work on the trucks working, after all )

Maybe, or maybe they'll build a robot to fix the robots.   Then, we're screwed.

Maybe... If you haven't already, you're gonna start hearing calls for a "Universal Basic Income" because of automation eliminating so many legacy careers.

[The emperor has no clothes]

hundreds of thousands if not a million jobs for truckers and related services are in the balance

Its honest work and we should not mess with it, or them

There are about 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the USA.

And within 20 years almost all those jobs will be obsolete.

I'll go so far as to say most jobs we know of today will be obsolete within a generation.

Yes, most likely mine as well.

Heck, within the last 20 years we've already automated IT system admin roles (What I do) to the point where I'm carrying a workload that would have taken 10 or 20 people to do back then through automation tools.

Automation has already caused some major shifts in society, and there's another wave about to hit.

We'll adapt, new professions will be found (Someone's gotta keep the robots that work on the trucks working, after all )

Maybe, but I'm not so sure. There were some butchers that advised me against getting in the profession. They were convinced it would be all automated soon. That was over 40 years ago. No doubt things have changed, and things have been streamlined. But, here I am 45 years later still chopping up dead animals.
 "Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"  

[RP#62]

James Cameron has some interesting comments on the subject:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/james-cameron-sounds-alarm-artificial-intelligence-unveils-a-terminator-21st-century-1043027

-RP

[cookiedough]

hundreds of thousands if not a million jobs for truckers and related services are in the balance

Its honest work and we should not mess with it, or them

There are about 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the USA.

And within 20 years almost all those jobs will be obsolete.

I'll go so far as to say most jobs we know of today will be obsolete within a generation.

Yes, most likely mine as well.

Heck, within the last 20 years we've already automated IT system admin roles (What I do) to the point where I'm carrying a workload that would have taken 10 or 20 people to do back then through automation tools.

Automation has already caused some major shifts in society, and there's another wave about to hit.

We'll adapt, new professions will be found (Someone's gotta keep the robots that work on the trucks working, after all )

I do not agree on automation truck drivers in 20 years.  Not in my lifetime, but maybe my kids lifetime will happen.  Will see I guess?

[Serk]

I do not agree on automation truck drivers in 20 years.  Not in my lifetime, but maybe my kids lifetime will happen.  Will see I guess?

I actually hope I'm wrong... My dad was a truck driver for most of his working life (With a master's degree) It's an honorable profession with an amazing culture and history to it.

I don't think I'm wrong though.

There will always be a need for specialists (Like Smoking Joe going through crazy areas with huge loads) but the bread and butter OTR runs will be automated fairly quickly I suspect...

[..]

Pencil and compass. Old school.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/us/politics/navy-orders-safety-operational-standards.html

[oldsmokey]

Truck "platooning " has already been done. Daimler's Freightliner is noted for it.  More and more every day they work on it. Huge end dump rock haulers have been autonomous for years working in the quarrys and mines. As far as Amazon I believe they were buying trailers a couple years ago putting things in place. You will no longer be able to buy a car without collision avoidance systems in.  It will be a standard MANDATE not an option. Just pay up.

[Jess from VA]

That seals the deal, I will no longer ever own a new vehicle.