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comment by coffeesp00ns
coffeesp00ns  ·  3113 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: A fleet of trucks just drove themselves across Europe

definitely gonna show my dad this. he thinks I'm crazy about robots taking over the transport industry in our lifetime.





oyster  ·  3113 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Sometimes I believe this could happen but I just remember all these scenarios at work where it would have been absolute hell to not have a driver. We unloaded the trucks in the parking lot and if they were flatbeds they had to move so we could get to everything. I wonder how well these trucks could work through a situation like that. Then there's all the god damn paperwork.

coffeesp00ns  ·  3113 days ago  ·  link  ·  

it would just all be programmed in, I imagine. the trucks would come into the scenario and a chunk of code would be activated that would run all the trucks through an unload and move procedure. Because they're all on one network, they can co-ordinate their actions.

oyster  ·  3113 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The problem with these situations is it wasn't as simple as pulling up to the recieving door. It would have to be able to mavouver around while being unloaded. I don't even know how it would work if two trucks came at the same time. Well I do know, but I don't know how the truck would know

Mainly I feel like this is the kind of scenario nobody working on this stuff would think to solve for. As in it probably can be done but they would have to ask the truck drivers for direction. I don't know if I would help the person trying to replace me with a computer if I was them.

Wintermute  ·  3112 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I don't even know how it would work if two trucks came at the same time. Well I do know, but I don't know how the truck would know

If you know, the truck would most likely eventually know by the programmer talking to you (or someone else who knows) and writing code to implement the procedure you describe. There are whole teams of people at NASA (and doubtless other places) that do this kind of study all the time, where they sit down and talk to the people in the system and document exactly what they are doing, either to optimize the human process or to automate it.

coffeesp00ns  ·  3113 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    The problem with these situations is it wasn't as simple as pulling up to the recieving door.

yeah, i know. I worked as an order picker and used to chat up the drivers. it really is a skilled trade.

    Mainly I feel like this is the kind of scenario nobody working on this stuff would think to solve for.

I agree, but you never know, a lot of the programming being used to replace order pickers could potentially be used the same way.

    I don't know if I would help the person trying to replace me with a computer if I was them.

General Ludd and his Luddites learned the hard way that you can't stop technology. Pandora's box has been opened, and if you're not the person to take advantage, someone else will be. it sounds cold, but you may as well gather rosebuds while ye may and take the cheque you're going to get from helping because they're going to replace you either way as soon as it's cheaper and better than you - and that's all it ever needs to be, not perfect but better than us.

oyster  ·  3113 days ago  ·  link  ·  

All very true, some truckers would probably talk and others would be extremely stubborn.