Posted on 06/14/2021 8:01:26 AM PDT by bgill
Starting Monday, robots are making deliveries along South Congress and downtown under the supervision of the Austin Transportation Department...
Robots will roll through Austin starting Monday making food deliveries in the South Congress area and throughout downtown.
Austin Transportation Department officials say the company behind the robots, Refraction AI, will launch a fleet of 10 robots.
ATD officials add the robots will travel in the bike lane unless there is not one. Then, they will travel on the main road. The robots will be monitored by a person who will travel along with the robot. Officials said it is required by state law to ensure safety.
(Excerpt) Read more at kxan.com ...
Now wait just a minute. Taxpayers are now having to pay for a Austin Transportation Dept. employee to ride with these little road hazards?
They also have to have an employee back at the business to remote control them.
IOW, this is nothing but a high priced gimmick. And on the taxpayers' foot. Remind me again how much the ATD employees get paid.
How many will have been lost, stolen or damaged 5pm on Wed?
Don’t forget to tip the transportation department representative! :)
I want one for the target range. I can have targets on it and have it traverse back and forth for target practice.
Jacob Culberson, is the transportation department’s division manager and thinks it’s a Great Idea. Well, after this great idea goes down in flames, you’ll know who to blame.
IIRC, the last time I saw this, the human supervisor was to be an employee of Refraction AI, not ATD.
The Refraction AI controller back in the office is not tele-operating the thing, it’s actually self-guided. They’re trying to work out autonomous driving with something that’s not actually a car and is far less likely to kill or seriously injure someone.
They’re trying to avoid a scenario like this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elaine_Herzberg
If the AI gets confused or has another problem, it’s a lot safer for it to be operating a glorified plastic garden cart at 5-10mph than a Volvo at 43mph.
Pilot program.
I wonder what 308cal steel core ammo would do to one of these robots.
“The robots will be monitored by a person who will travel along with the robot.”
Why do the robot if it needs human supervision? One delivery person would be more efficient.
“I want one for the target range.”
LOL. Make sure you don’t get one that shoots back.
These robots will be able to identify you and call you by name.
“Bob. Please stop using me for target practice.”
;-)
Just like a guy using a donkey to pull a delivery cart 500 years ago, except the donkey is mechanical.
So advanced!
They are using them for food because no one will bother to steal sandwiches.
They hope. Time to start a rumor that those things secretly carry Gold.
Bowling for delivery robots soon to be a twitter challenge.
It’s a shame they feel they have to have a human escort to protect these robots along the way. But some people resent robotics - wrongfully I think.
Robots are no different than any tool - they displace labor.
You can do something with your bare hands.
You can use a hand tool.
You can operate a motorized tool - a machine.
You can use a self-operated machine - a robot.
These are just different levels of advancement in tool-making.
It’s kind of silly to draw a line anywhere… after all, humans are the toolmakers - that’s what we do.
I think history has shown that technological advancement creates as many jobs as it displaces.
“Why do the robot if it needs human supervision?”
Pilot program, required by law.
“It’s a shame they feel they have to have a human escort to protect these robots along the way. “
That is not the purpose of the escort.
Didn't taxpayers pay for a driving inspector to ride with you before giving you a license to drive?
Because state law bans any autonomous vehicles without a human supervisor with it? At this stage of development, vehicle AI isn’t very good and the chances of it running amok left to its own devices is high.
Not unlike how many states required early automobiles to be preceded and trailed by a flagman to warn others that the four wheeled fragmentation bomb was coming. (Think early steam cars which had a distressing tendency to literally explode.)
—”If the AI gets confused or has another problem,”
Yes, I’m looking forward to FSD (FULL SELF DRIVING).
Here’s some test from 2019.
I know, I know, the tech can move very fast, at times.
But I’ve seen some recent tesla tests, that would knock your socks off, literally. And I like Musk!
IIHS Pedestrian Autobrake Tests
https://youtu.be/TJgUiZgX5rE
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