Does the advent of automatic driving tracks threaten the lives of truck drivers

Uber's automatic driving taxi starts to run but can also be ordered to stop usingAlthough the complete establishment of automatic driving cars is expected to be ahead of the previous story, etc., the long-distance truck industry is considered to advance automation in the widest range at the earliest. A number of companies are already conducting public road tests on "automatic driving trucks", but experts tell you what they think about the automatic driving truck, and what it actually becomes.

The Future of Trucking When Machines Take the Wheel | Robots & amp; Us | WIRED - YouTube


Maria Porter who has earned her living as a truck driver for ten years ... ...


California startup ·Starsky RoboticsWe are cooperating in testing the remote operation of the truck.



Starsky Robotics is a startup of automatic driving truck technology and is developing an automatic driving truck that autonomously drives on a highway. On the other hand, Starsky Robotics' automatic operation track can also be switched to remote operation, Porter was testing the track remotely from the image of the in-vehicle camera.


Not only Starsky Robotics is developing an automatic driving truck, but it was acquired by UberOttoYa


We are developing "Platoon technology" that improves fuel economy by tracking automobiles and tracksPeloton TechnologyAnd so on. Each company aims to establish a safe and efficient automatic driving technique, and both have conducted public road tests. It is thought that the first automation in the driving industry is truck transport running on a highway.


UnionTeamstersMr. Aroises of Rome "fears that" occasion that trucker's occupation will be replaced with automatic driving skill "may occur.


The technique of "track running on the road without a driver" is captured like a science fiction film for some truck drivers. A trucker says, "I've never seen an automatic driving truck ever".


"For us it's an idea like a flying car," another truck driver.


The last truck driver also said, "I do not know when the automatic driving truck will be realized, do you know one day?"


Together with American trucks and taxi drivers, the number is over 4 million people.


And the occupation of a truck driver is the most frequent occupation in about 30 states in the United States.


The average annual income of a truck driver is $ 41,000 (about 4.6 million yen), and as a blue collar it is one of the few occupations that can earn middle class salaries.


As of May 2017 when the movie is released, it is said that 50,000 truck drivers are short in the United States, and this trend is expected to accelerate until the automatic driving truck appears I will. Developers of automatic driving technology say "Automatic driving truck is efficient, low cost, safe transportation can be realized," and indeed has the potential to save millions of lives from accidents. On the other hand, the realization of automatic driving trucks has also led to the deprivation of profession from millions of people.


The fact that the truck driver is actually communicating with the video is because YouTuberAllie KnightMr.


"Many truck drivers do not trust automatic driving technology and I do not want to think that there is already technology that can autonomously drive trucks," Knight said.


While striking the frozen brakes with a hammer, Mr. Knight says, "Freezing of the road, snow, heavy rain, tornado, there is a weather that changes dramatically every day in driving a truck."


According to Stephen Shraudover, who is engaged in the development of automatic driving technology for over 10 years, "There is a need for a secure system that guarantees proper operation in all situations experienced by a car, Systems and software reacting to this situation are still at a major challenge stage. "


The relationship between climate and automatic driving is also detailed in the following article.

Can an automated driving car safely drive a slippery snowy road? - GIGAZINE


At this stage there is no software that can handle fully automatic operation, but it is said that the driving of trucks running on highway in the future is controlled by computer, and that day is approaching moment by moment. Starsky Robotics' suggested "automatic driving + remote operation" may be a solution to turn a truck driver into an office work that must continue to drive lonely for weeks.


Knight says, "We are approaching every day towards that day that certainly happens."


In addition, this movie is the third series of WIRED's "Robots & amp; Us" robot and human relationship series, and the first and second movies can also be seen from the following.

A Brief History of Our Robotic Future | Robots & amp; Us | WIRED - YouTube


The Robot Will See You Now - AI and Your Health Care | Robots & amp; Us | WIRED - YouTube