this post was submitted on 01 May 2024
135 points (91.4% liked)
Technology
60041 readers
1711 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related content.
- Be excellent to each another!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
Approved Bots
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Probably true as it will take a while for them to ramp the numbers up to cover the shortage in truck drivers, and they'll still need drivers for that last mile (as these trucks work best going between depots on freeways) but how long will being a truck driver be a viable occupation? When it's one of the biggest areas of employment, can everyone transition to other logistical jobs, as suggested by the article?
Have you heard of "pedestrian controlled" trucks? They're increasingly common. Here's one being used to move an airplane cargo container:
They're usually small but these days some carry 15 tons and you just grab them by a handle and start walking. Often there's a lifting function (to load cargo onto/off of tall shelves/etc).
You're not always limited to walking speed, some of them have a platform the operator can stand on to increase the speed.
I could totally see those increasing in size, to the size of a full size shipping container maybe, and having a wireless control system instead of needing to stand right next to it (which could be dangerous). It'd have sensors prevent the operator from running into anything and the control would just be a pair of joysticks. Outside of the loading dock of a building, they'd be able to drive autonomously.
The job of "driver" would be replaced by just a team of people who load / unload the cargo and plan/supervise the truck. And I don't think it's far away at all - we're already seeing it with smaller cargo loads (is 15 ton all that small?).
they are called forklifts and they are around for quite some time now 😆
Just ask Klause.
oh my. the... motorized pedestrian truck driver klaus. haven't seen this gem in some time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChOHnSL7ZCg
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://www.piped.video/watch?v=ChOHnSL7ZCg
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.