I know there are some current and former truck drivers from the USA & other countries that lurk & post in the forums here. I would be interested in your thoughts on (possibly) being replaced by a "robot"...

Robots could replace 1.7 million American truckers in the next decade

Carmaking giants and ride-sharing upstarts racing to put autonomous vehicles on the road are dead set on replacing drivers, including truckers. Trucks without human hands at the wheel could be on U.S. roads within a decade, analysts and industry executives say.

At risk is one of the most common jobs in many states, and one of the last remaining careers that offer middle-class pay to those without a college degree. There are 1.7 million truckers in the U.S., and another 1.7 million drivers of taxis, buses and delivery vehicles. That compares with 4.1 million construction workers.

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On Sept. 20, the Obama administration put its weight behind automated driving, for the first time releasing federal guidelines for the systems. About a dozen states already have created laws that allow for the testing of self-driving vehicles. But the federal government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will ultimately have to set rules to safely accommodate 80,000-pound autonomous trucks on U.S. highways.

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Spindola, the truck driver, perched atop a creaky seat as his big rig sat inside the Long Beach port waiting to be OK'd for a departure to a nearby storage yard, said he isn't convinced that a machine could ever do his job.

I think this best describes why I DOUBT OTR drivers will be COMPLETELY REPLACED...

"You need a human being to deal with some of the problems we have out on the road," Spindola said. There are too many delicate maneuvers involved, he maintained, too many tricks and turns and unforeseen circumstances to hand the wheel over to a robot.

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This is why people are starting to talk about a UBI(Universal Basic Income), since banks like Chase are already automating, Wells Fargo shut down branches to leave only an ATM in place of the branch, stores like Walmart and Home Depot have self checkout kiosks that don't use cashiers.

Chase in Barstow now has only 2 human teller windows, Wells Fargo only has an ATM, their old location is boarded up, with a For Lease sign up, right next to the $0.99 cent store...

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I think this best describes why I DOUBT OTR drivers will be COMPLETELY REPLACED...

"You need a human being to deal with some of the problems we have out on the road," Spindola said. There are too many delicate maneuvers involved, he maintained, too many tricks and turns and unforeseen circumstances to hand the wheel over to a robot.

Totally agree with him.

Hmmm, robots & GPS...



...expect to see much more of this.

I know there are some current and former truck drivers from the USA & other countries that lurk & post in the forums here. I would be interested in your thoughts on (possibly) being replaced by a "robot"...

Happend in "The Simpsons" years ago "Big Red" Doubt it would happen over here we have bends in our roads ;-)

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Life is what you make of it :-)

When i'm good i'm very good , but when i'm bad i'm shi#eloads better ;-) In't I " buttercups " p.m.s.l at authoritie !!;-)

I think this best describes why I DOUBT OTR drivers will be COMPLETELY REPLACED...

I doubt if the Robot could transmit "10-4 Good Buddy Come-On"
on the CB and sound authentic ....

Bill

I attended a webclass presented by Cal Trans for planners about this subject and self driving cars in general. Interesting projections and I never knew how involved they have been.
Tesla has broken even so far with it's self drive. The car beheaded one man when it drove under a truck, but it save one man when he had a heart attack and it drove him to the nearest ER.
Big question is still liability. Who is responsible for accident if 2 self driving cars collide? No answer right now.

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