The time has come… for self driving Ubers.
If you fear the idea of machines driving around without human control on our roadways, then I wouldn’t suggest requesting an Uber ride in Pittsburgh. Chances are, you might get picked up by a car that is not being controlled by a human.
As of this week, self-driving Ubers have made their way through the urban streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is the first city in the United States to allow the driverless Uber vehicles to operate on the roads. As this is a test period, there is a human that remains behind the wheel at all times, with their hands actively waiting to take the wheel in case of an emergency.
The pros and cons of this technology being used in an urban setting is causing speculations to arise across the country. The major concern (along with job loss in transportation) is safety. With how new the technology is, the road handling is unpredictable. Being chauffeured a machine can come off to some, as uneasy and unreliable.
On the flip side, there are over 1.2 million accidents per year on our roadways that are caused by human drivers. Being skeptical about the new technology is reason for concern, but the technology could offer more good than bad. Self driving Ubers are convenient, affordable, and probably safer than an average human driver once all of the bugs are worked out. The trial and error period for these self driving vehicles is what is causing concern for many people.
How many accidents will occur (or not occur) before we see a majority of self driving vehicles on the streets? Safety is only one of the concerns of how it will impact our lives, the other big concern is employment. The future of our roadways is changing rapidly, and many markets are going to be affected by driverless vehicles.
The increase in driverless vehicles could mean the loss jobs for many people in the following industries: Car Insurance, Car Maintenance, Emergency personnel, Law Enforcement Officers, Roadway Engineers, Public Transit, Private Sector Transportation (Uber,Lyft,Taxi,Limo), The list goes on. As our world is taken over by technology, we are forced to live with machines replacing many jobs, everyday.
For many individuals, Uber has been a saving grace while some are caught in between jobs or short on cash to feed their families. It has provided employment to those who are in need, and has helped bring down DUIs in several cities. With Uber transitioning to driverless vehicles, will this cause an industry trend that will eventually eliminate transportation jobs on a large scale?
The concern for loss of jobs is a real one. However, are we better off having machines transport us around as opposed to strangers? There is little that can be done to stop this trend. Pittsburgh is the first city to test out these technology-taxis, but it won’t be the last.
