Japan is building a self-driving transport corridor to automate cargo transport between Tokyo and Osaka and wants to extend the system to the whole country.
Japan is building a self-driving transport corridor to automate cargo transport between Tokyo and Osaka and wants to extend the system to the whole country.
It is hoped ‘innovative’ 24-hour design will also cut carbon emissions, as demand for delivery services soars
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Why are they making it so needlessly complicated? They can just use existing highways and vehicles with Level 4 self-driving. They don't need new separate roads.
That said, this points to the future. Even if true Level 5 self-driving is several years off, there is plenty Level 4 can do now. That includes all cargo driving on highways. I doubt most trucker jobs have long to go. Some will say they are needed for last-mile delivery. Some companies are soon going to figure out a profitable system for having human drivers locally for that, but self-driving vehicles for the long stints on highways.
Remote supervision will help that change, too, like Waymo does with its taxis so any unexpected situation can be solved quickly.
I think truckers will still have jobs - but that may be homeoffice in front of a screen with a number of trucks to monitor.
My dad is a trucker and he's the one loading and unloading the cargo, plus he's the one guarding it and being liable for it.
There's a long way before an automated truck drives up to a loading bay and anyone will touch it. (Or wont touch it in case loading bays get automated too).