Self-Driving Trucks Are Going to Hit Us Like a Human-Driven Truck
Since the emergence of technology for self-driving vehicles, certain concerns have also arisen for the outcomes of this vehicle. A self-driving vehicle can eliminate many problems that are involved with driving any vehicle. First, people are humans which allows them to make mistakes while driving that can have detrimental outcomes, but these self-driving vehicles could possibly lessen the number of deaths that occur while driving. According to Scott Santens, "four thousand people were recorded to have suffered death related to trucking accidents in 2012 with many of those being caused by the driver of the truck." Also, these vehicles would allow people more time to perform desired tasks while the vehicle is driving. These advantages of a self-driving vehicles are impressive and beneficial, but the disadvantages are more concerning of the American people.
With the many advantages that a self-driving vehicle has to offer, the choice to accept self-driving vehicles into the world has become more accepted for actual consideration, but these vehicles can also present some problems for the American people. Many American jobs depend on the resources that trucking companies offer, but the application of these self-driving vehicles could possibly eliminate millions of jobs for the American people. In 2015, the American Trucker Association reported that 8.7 million jobs in America are involved with the trucking company. If these self-driving vehicles are accepted into the work system, the millions of jobs created by the trucking company will have serious direct effect to these jobs. Although self-driving vehicles could certainly be a beneficial asset, the loss of jobs provided by the trucking system would have an influence on the American people and economy that could be detrimental to those working in the trucking industry. Micah Alfaro
Self Driving Cars and Their Negative Impact
Today, self-driving vehicles are the new projects of large corporations because of their ability to keep inflation and overhead down as well as their reputation for causing fewer motor vehicle accidents. While these corporations acknowledge and are focused on the evidence of the overwhelming benefits of self-driving vehicles, they fail to recognize the negative effect they will have on the economy. In Scott Santens's article he illustrates the negative effects that self-driving vehicles will propose on the American economy. His intent is to demonstrate the inflicted boomerang effect of machines to citizens' jobs and ultimately the consumers.
Santens attempts to shine a spotlight on the profits that larger corporations will potentially gain while countless workers who have obtained transportation jobs suffer due to their positions being replaced by computers. "Human-driven trucks kill people. Robot trucks will kill far few people, if any, because machines don't get tired. Machines don't get distracted. Machines don't look at phones instead of the road. Machines don't drink alcohol or do any kind of drugs or involve any number of things that somehow contribute to the total number of accidents every year involving trucks" (Santens). While these attributes are enticing, I implore you to consider this fact; machines malfunction. A tractor trailer whose system malfunctions while carrying a large load would be a disaster. Technology is evolving and requires frequent changes and updates. What happens when someone hacks into the system? Some of our nation's most valuable software and or systems have been penetrated in recent times. If these systems were accessible it is my theory that it would be a piece of cake to gain access to autonomous vehicles.
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