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comment by oyster
oyster  ·  3100 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: A fleet of trucks just drove themselves across Europe

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  ·  3099 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  ·  3100 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  ·  3100 days ago  ·  link  ·  

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