Self driving trucks to begin replacing truck drivers in 2017

2017 may become the year of the robot as the machines enter regular service alongside humans.

Robots are already starting to replace security guards and delivery drivers. Now truck drivers will be replaced starting in 2017. A tech company called Otto has developed a self-driving truck that's ready for the road.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Starting in 2017, Otto self-driving trucks will take to the road. At first they will drive only on highways and freeways with human drivers that will take the wheel in urban areas.

The technology will allow drivers to nap, or work on other tasks while the vehicle drives itself along the 220,000 miles of American roadway.

Otto has affiliated with Uber to outfit the trucks. Uber is developing self-driving taxis and has launched a limited pilot program to test the concept in urban areas. Eventually Otto's proficiency on the highway will be paired with Uber's work in urban environments to create entirely self-driving vehicles.

According to Reuters, Uber has been approaching executives at trucking companies, looking for firms willing to use the new trucking technology. Uber already has the required permits from the federal government to being operating the trucks on the highway.

The technology will cut costs, improve safety and efficiency, and eventually eliminate the human component from truck driving.

Uber and Otto are not the only team looking to enter the market. Already, a competitive assortment of companies are preparing to put their own trucks on the road. Among those listed are Cargo Chief, Convoy, and Transfix.

Automated trucking will also allow tracking of trucks and shipments in real time. Presently, it can take hours to locate a driver and their rig. An autonomous vehicle will be connected to its home office at all times.

Truck drivers have reason to be alarmed, but there's still time. The industry is suffering from a shortage of drivers at present, and autonomous vehicles will not be able to fill this need for awhile. It may take up to two decades to develop the technology for trucks to drive in cities without human operators. The freeway technology has already taken a decade to develop.

Some entrepreneurial independent truckers may be able to buy their own self-driving rigs and hire them out, then enjoy time at home as their truck works on their behalf. They won't have to pay for or worry about a driver. But those days remain distant.

Robots and AI are coming to take many jobs from people. This transition has already started. It is not science fiction or some idea from the future, the day has arrived.

In the short term, these developments will replace humans in many lines of work. However, the robots will need to be serviced and repaired and there will be new jobs created to replace the ones that are lost. Eventually, futurists say the robots will learn how to repair themselves or each other, and humans will be made redundant in the workplace.

When that happens, and it could happen within the next human lifetime, it will change how we work, play and live. Humans will have few jobs left to do, other than those we create for ourselves. The world will change, but it is too early to say if these changes are for the better or worse.

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