Will Self-driving Trucks Put Truckers Out Of A Job?

Hello everyone, for the past few months I have been trying to make my mind up about weather or not I would like to start a career in trucking. Last night I was told by a person that vehicle automation could be a real threat to the job in the near future. Please keep in mind this person has never set foot in a truck and knows even less about the industry but never the less it's a good question to ask. Are there any professional truckers out there who have any input on this matter, good or bad?

I'd say go for it and dont worry about it, cant see it happening in the "near" future. There are 2 million combination trucks and another 3.5 million assorted smaller delivery trucks operating in America. Even if a realistically safe, efficient, and reliable automated truck/system were completely tested and proven right now, I suspect it would take many many years to incorporate into a fully functional infrastructure and industry replacement.

This is another reason why they say there is a continuing shortage due to the subject of self driving trucks. People are hesitant to enter into the industry with this over hanging topic that has been getting a lot press. They said the same thing about air travel years ago too.

No you do not have to worry, planes still have pilots and there is way less to crash into in the sky. It will be years and years if ever before we see completely driving anything. But the companies involved sure knew how to make it sound like the technology was right around the corner so they could bring in huge investment but most of that talk has died down.

As bobcat said, aircraft has had autopilot for DECADES!!!! There are still pilots in the pilot seat. There isn’t a whole lot to hit up in the sky. I will start worrying when they first figure out how to get an aircraft to fly without any human input or availability. No one sitting in the ****pit, no one monitoring a camera remotely.. give it a few more decades after that happens, then my job may be in danger.

I agree, autonomous vehicles are not even close to being a reality. It's a joke to even consider the possibility that software is going to pilot an 80,000 pound combination vehicle on everyday roads. A joke. Here's an article I wrote:

Self Driving Trucks Are Not Coming Anytime Soon

Almost 50 years ago my father said not to go into auto mechanics, there’d be no money and no future in it. At the time The Jetsons were flying around in cartoons and talking on cordless phones.

They can’t even predict the future of the stock market accurately. Or the weather ten years from now.

And I don’t see a lot of starving auto mechanics. 😆

My response to the idea that self driving trucks will make drivers obsolete?

I hear 2019 they’re all going to autonomous trucks

I hear 2019 they’re all going to autonomous trucks

Self-driving trucks? Is the human race going to be obsolete or even extinct soon?