Driverless Trucks Now Here ?

[Tim Resnick]

Hi all,

I was just surfing the net and found this article about the "driver-less" truck.

Apparently, they have test demo-ed it in a convoy form in the Netherlands.

https: // techcrunch.com/2016/04/25/the-driverless-truck-is-coming-and-its-going-to-automate-millions-of-jobs/

Not sure how far this is into the future but, i don't like the implications of it.

Anyone have any ideas on how far away we are from this...and how it will affect the insurance biz?

Opinions?

Thanks!

~Tim

 

[jboussea]

it will take yeeeears to implement ... too much political red tape..

I would love it if someone says .. scrap everything ... every vehicle on the road should be automonous... I know this won't be a popular opinion.. but imagine what it would do for traffic congestion .. accidents etc... it's harder to implement self driving cars if they have to deal with the human element.

of course millions of people own cars so that would never happen .. and too many people would feel like their freedom is being taken away

 

[agentinsouth]

Hi all, I was just surfing the net and found this article about the "driver-less" truck. Apparently, they have test demo-ed it in a convoy form in the Netherlands. https: // techcrunch.com/2016/04/25/the-driverless-truck-is-coming-and-its-going-to-automate-millions-of-jobs/ Not sure how far this is into the future but, i don't like the implications of it. Anyone have any ideas on how far away we are from this...and how it will affect the insurance biz? Opinions? Thanks! ~Tim

Yea-I read where Uber bought Otto. Otto is crazy close to making it happen. They claim about 2 years. It will be a game changer once Uber transitions the tech into their cars. I am going to ride the auto wave for the next few years while transitioning into commercial.

 

[Gulfman]

Couple of things come to mind

1. Self Driving cars rely on GPS which is internet. Internet goes down all the TIME. Weather issues, tech failures, etc. UNTIL they can control "the weather" i would be very skeptical of any automatic car/vehicle (hell, in my area, the internet at home went down due these crazy tropical storms last few days---sucks). HOW WILL THEY address this issue?
   
2. I don't think that trucks will be un-maned, even is this becomes a reality. There will still be drivers to do backups, reporting mechanical travel issues, etc. No way they will let some 40000lb vehicle out on the road un-maned. Suppose there is a blowout? HOW WILL THEY address this issue?
   
3. The Petrolium industries will be fighting this heavy. If automatic cars come, they will most likely be electric. We don't have the technology at this point for electric trucks OTR (i don't think). HOW WILL THEY address this issue?
   
4. There will be other groups against this. Truckers will form unions, lots of "behind the scene companies trying to block it etc."
   
5. I think there will still be insurance, just not sure who's going to get the blame?

Anyway, just my thoughts off the top of my head. I can see it happening sometime in the next 50yrs, and not without some major issues and growing pains.

Stocks might do good though...lol

 

[jboussea]

I don't think GPS uses the internet ... think about your old GPS navigation system.. there was no internet

 

[Gulfman]

I don't think GPS uses the internet ... think about your old GPS navigation system.. there was no internet

Lol...i didn't have a gps before the internet.

But i think your are right...it might use satellite

 

[vic120]

it will take yeeeears to implement ... too much political red tape..

I would love it if someone says .. scrap everything ... every vehicle on the road should be automonous... I know this won't be a popular opinion.. but imagine what it would do for traffic congestion .. accidents etc... it's harder to implement self driving cars if they have to deal with the human element.

of course millions of people own cars so that would never happen .. and too many people would feel like their freedom is being taken away

Thats what they said about many other things that are slowly disappearing such as freedom of speech

 

[pfg1]

Imagine this implemented and someone figures out how to hack it and take it down. Everyone crashes at the same time.

I'm all for technology, but I honestly don't like this. I think too much technology is just that. Probably there is an in between that can be a good compromise.

 

[marindependent]

This sounds pretty cool and also... a little scary.

 

[InsuranceNerd]

Hopefully this will implement after I'm dead and gone. I simply enjoy driving too much to let a computer do it for me!