Posted on 11/25/2017 8:27:48 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Link only due to copyright issues: https://www.wired.com/story/what-does-teslas-truck-mean-for-truckers/
Snow Storm wrecks galore.
If we’re talking Teamster’s Union, watch for punctured tires, fire bombs, and charging stations in flames.
The one they just introduced still requires a driver. Those will sell like hotcakes in Kalifornia just to move containers to and from points just out of Kalifornia where diesel rigs will do the long hauls. Caltrans will will have to pound sand when they don’t have diesels to pick on. Outside of Kalifornia for long hauls ... not much of a reason to buy them.
It means they can be put out of a job by a company that couldn’t make a profit of life was the stake.
Like to see ‘em back into loading docks on narrow Manhattan back roads with half the parked cars illegally double-parked ...
funny thing about control algorithms
gentle nudges with S-10 pickups
Lots of futuristic ideas are being proposed but will take two things to gain popularity. (1) The bugs need to be resolved, (Google cars wait for everything else to stop at an intersection before they can proceed — but cars with drivers will roll through and gain the right of way.) and (2) They need to fill a need and be more profitable than hiring people. (But for a lot of reasons people will be used for part of the ride — as has been mentioned, double parked vehicles on a route, and loading and unloading unusual and fragile cargo)
In the end, the job market will change, lots of drivers will end up with station jobs caring and maintaining a fleet of trucks that run long hauls more efficiently.
I have my skepticism that the age of the driver/car/truck is going to be wiped out in a single wave, but I do expect some change to occur gradually.
And the comment about lawyers is valid too, a few mistakes and some heavy lawsuits will also slow down the process of change.
A good ‘acid test’
= = = = = = = = = =
If they let them on the docks...
I was trying to deliver something to NY in my F250 cargo van and the ‘clown’ with the clipboard told me I needed NY ‘truck’ tags...I said my tags from VA are ‘truck’ tags even though VN vet(sometimes works in NYC) he said no go and said ‘I wouldn’t park up there either’ - I said cops with tickets..Yes that too BUT some of the guys.....
I had to call our NY Office to meet me with a ‘proper truck’...cost me about 3 hours...luckily only stop BUT I never took another NYC job during the day unless ‘they’ met me on site, then changed it to the local office where they ‘had’ to unload and reload..Technically I couldn’t even unload my truck...’according to the guys’...
These are the same union types that wouldn’t allow NON UNION electrician VOLUNTEERS to work hurricane damage until they ‘bought’ a card...Definitely bonus time for the local union...
Just look at construction for subways in nyc, the most expensive in the world. Then on top of that, ya have the most expensive to operate them. Crazy. I can’t imagine having to do logistics in nyc, must be hell.
will there be a wave of Mexican robots taking American robot driving jobs ? #NAFTA
I believe Musk also claimed that he will have charging stations built for these trucks that will give 80% charge in 30 minutes. With the batteries required for these ‘haulers’, it will take about 2 megawatts of power to accomplish that feat. The average home in the USA uses 1 megawatt per month. Musk intends to suck 2 months worth of energy for one household in 30 minutes for 1 truck. In that 30 minutes 1 truck will place the same load on the grid as that of 1400 households. Imagine 10 or 20 trucks at the same station at the same time. Who is going to pay for the grid upgrade necessary for this massive load on said grid? Musk? You? What about isolated places? This may work for short hauls...... maybe. Info from The Market Ticker.
Name just One ...
Microsoft product that finally got the bugs out?
Android gadget that got the bugs out?
iPhone gadget that got the bugs out?
Heck just put the Robot truck on the highway.
Musk also claimed the power from the superchargers would cost 7 cents per kwh...and the truck would be warranteed for a million miles. If energy really costs 15 cents per kwh, Tesla is on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in subsidized charging...not to mention what it costs them to warranty the truck for a million miles...oh, and the cost of building a supercharger network. Details, details.
Just imagine a driverless anything in the hands of a terrorist
the double-parked part of my hypothetical was true. friend of mine who used to be a long-haul trucker got blocked in by a row of illegally double-parked cars and he said he just side-swiped them and kept going without ever looking back ...
Four wheelers lane diving wrecks. Truckers have to anticipate so much bad driving. Self driving does not have intuition.
Its not going to be the massive success everyone thinks it will be.
I predict it will not catch on, at least not this iteration.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.