A current techcrunch report says driverless trucks “are coming.” That kind of automation sounds the death-knell to millions of workers — “There are currently more than 1.6 million Americans working as truck drivers, making it the most common job in 29 states. The loss of jobs representing 1 percent of the U.S. workforce will be a devastating blow to the economy. And... Gas stations, highway diners, rest stops, motels and other businesses catering to drivers will struggle to survive without them.”

I know I’m sounding authoritarian/ aristocratic, but I ask: If your job can be replaced by a machine, then you should bloody well learn a different skill.

It is a controversial point, yes; it’s been a point of controversy for decades now. “How can a machine replace me?” “Automation is bad.”

That sounds like socialism, and Europe (after the Nazis) hasn’t been socialist. America has never been. It’s the simplest logic.

And here’s where I point to the elephant in the room: Isn’t that the promise of tech? To make life easier? With automated (driverless) trucks, life becomes easier and more efficient. Not for those currently employed as truck drivers, but in general.

This is tech at its best: Automation. Get used to it or fall off.

It might seem like fantasy, but as the techcrunch report goes, “The (recent) demonstration in Europe shows that driverless trucking is right around the corner. The primary remaining barriers are regulatory.” It’s going to happen.

Jobs don’t matter as much as tech.

Tags : driverless trucks, economy