pic: Google Streetview driver autograph

[CNettles11]

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[JesseK]

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

[BigJ]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

Or it could be Google performing an extensive test of their autonomous car technology in a program they control?

I'd bet that each of the autonomous cars will still have a human attending it at any point in the next 3-4 years, so it's not actually eliminating a job anyway.

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by BigJ

I'd bet that each of the autonomous cars will still have a human attending it at any point in the next 3-4 years, so it's not actually eliminating a job anyway.

Until 3-4 years from now.

[EricVanWyk]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

I might have agreed with you before I watched the TED talk given by the project lead for the autonomous vehicle project. He lost a close friend to a car accident, and is now on a personal mission to prevent future similar tragedies. I can't think of a better test for the platform than "drive on every single street on the planet".

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

Isn't it a short-term contract job, with no particular expectation of job security? (Because it's probably much cheaper to hire locals on a short-term basis, every few years, than to have full-time employees living out of hotels as they drive around.) And in the short term, someone will have to ride in the cars to supervise the car's operation anyway.

It's also a pretty reasonable way for Google to test its autonomous vehicles.

[CNettles11]

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

Isn't it a short-term contract job, with no particular expectation of job security?

Yeah, it's a short term job but, it's still pretty cool to have met someone who has worked for Google. Jeez, I'm such a nerd.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

Yes, I think that's kind of the point. A manually controlled car is just a broken autonomous car.

[The Lucas]

Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri

Yes, I think that's kind of the point. A manually controlled car is just a broken autonomous car.

"Manual Mode" is available if you dont mind the occasional car crashs

It will be interesting to see how communication between cars, street lights, central highway controllers, etc... develops if auto cars become the norm.

Now if only Tacocopter was legal (and real) Google wouldn't have to autonomously drive blind people to Taco Bell

[neshera]

Just as a thought exercise:
If someone develops a non-invasive cure for cancer, many nurses and surgeons will be underemployed/unemployed. Would this be a bad thing?

[Aren Siekmeier]

Originally Posted by neshera

Just as a thought exercise:
If someone develops a non-invasive cure for cancer, many nurses and surgeons will be underemployed/unemployed. Would this be a bad thing?

Absolutely not, is obviously the answer you're looking for. As JesseK suggested, doctors would still have plenty to do treating patients. Cancer researchers will still have plenty to work on. Even with some non-invasive cure, there will be research that can be done into improving the treatment, or finding alternatives, or even if cancer becomes a complete non-issue, there will always be more to research. Similarly, the nurses and surgeons will continue to have surgeries to carry out, or if the demand for invasive procedures really does dwindle they can adapt to the developing demands of carrying out these procedures (already, more and more surgeries are being carried out via ultrasound or endoscopy). It's akin to the field of physics. I often wonder why people are so driven to discover a "grand unified theory of everything," as if after that we will know everything there is to know about the universe and our "toil" as physicists will be done. There will always be more that we don't know.

[sand500]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

The law in Nevada requires a person behind the wheel at all times who can take control of the car if anything goes wrong.

[DjScribbles]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

Cynic

But seriously, isn't the point of FIRST to celebrate science and technology? It's unfortunate that automation eliminates jobs, but it's also something that will likely benefit society as a whole; the same argument could be leveled against the cotton gin, the printing press, the steam engine, telegraph, telephone, computer, internet.

[Aren Siekmeier]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Call me a cynic, but I think "fully autonomous street view cars" is an example of programmers writing code to directly and indiscriminantly eliminate someone's job.

Sorry, but I've got to address this. Creating and maintaining jobs should by no means be the primary concerns of industry and our society. The people driving those vehicles could be more productive, probably make more money, and potentially have more fun doing something a computer or autonomous vehicle cannot. The reason people are concerned with "eliminating jobs" is because of the displacement of the people in those jobs. But if those people are willing to take the initiative to find a new role in society, potentially one that won't get replaced by machines because it requires creative thought, initiative, innovation, or other human qualities, they are right in line with the progress oriented industry behind the advancement of fully autonomous street view cars. And as far as I can tell, there are plenty of jobs available that won't be replaced by machines anytime soon, because they require qualities mentioned above, and often a college education.

And maybe it is done to "directly and indiscriminately" eliminate someone's job. But what's wrong with that? They are making their operations more efficient, thus driving down their costs, thus making more or higher quality service available for less. And, the person driving the vehicle is no longer needed for that task and now has the time to do something that will likely pay higher and do more for society. This is how the standard of living goes up.

I don't mean to discount in any way the value of people holding positions to which this may apply. What you do is obviously important, and needs to be done. But wouldn't you rather a machine did it for you so that you could do something else? And defending it as if it's your right won't get us anywhere. The same can be said of the wealthy in defense of some benefits or tax breaks they may be used to receiving (oh, and they get laid off too).

And obviously, it's not like a cakewalk to get up and change the course of your life just like that, so some discretion should be exercised when making the tradeoff between forcing people to relocate (geographically or with respect to their career) and increasing efficiency and output. But change will and must happen at some point.

[jspatz1]

My question is why is this taken in the cracker aisle at the grocery store?