http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2014/10/technology-and-productivity
A driverless car is crazy to think about right now. But Google and Audi have made great strides in the right direction for this to happen. Even though we may not see a driverless car on the road for the next decade or two. With the use of Google maps and cameras on the car the driverless car can eliminate human errors like driving more cautiously than humans in dangerous conditions.
A big problem for the driverless car though ironically is the advancement in technology. A recent report says that advancement in technology has pushed millions of workers out of middle waged jobs and now they are in a fight with others for low wage jobs. Now with an abundant supply of low paying labor companies don't want to upgrade their technology to push out low wage workers. Also companies like Uber have made pre-hired cars cheaper and more convenient and that's making households less likely to buy a car. So with these obstacles in the way it could slow down the process for the driverless car.
Driver less cars will be a huge change to society if and when it happens. These changes are exciting but I begin to wonder what will happen to those in the unskilled jobs. As new technology continues to be developed will there be a place for these people or will they fall into poverty and create a bigger difference between the haves and the have nots.
ReplyDeleteDriver less cars seems insane to think about at this point but they are here. MIT has competitions to see which group of students can create the ultimate driverless car as well. The problem isn't only that lower wage workers may get pushed out with advanced tech, but its that these cars will never be perfect and react in a way a human can. It could be even more dangerous with a simple malfunction on the freeway costing your life or even others. I think we are a long way from driver free cars and should focus on cars that will better the driver's experience for now.
ReplyDeleteThe technology is here, but it will be interesting to see how it will implemented. Either way, there will be a period of either adjusting to the new technology or the friction in the employment market as industrial companies attempt to implement this to be more cost-effective
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