Now the videos are starting to flow as Uber's flashy self-driving taxi has officially hit the streets of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. And in a fell swoop, Uber has up-ended its original business model, thus pushing out the very drivers whose human-operated vehicles made the whole dream possible.
Sad isn't it? Rip up the taxi industry by replacing licensed cab-drivers with ordinary people with a vehicle, some time on their hands, and a desire to make ends meet--or at least a few extra bucks--; then cut those people out by replacing them with artificial intelligence. Does the end justify the means?
This will change everything--and it's what Uber plans to do. It's vision, as I've written before, is to take millions of vehicles off the roads, as well as to prevent human-error deaths. And they'll do this by making their solution so smart, so intuitive, that you'll be replacing the keys to your car for Uber's ultra-cool app.
But what about the millions of jobs lost in the process? What about the dad who can't find a transportation job to save his or his family's life? What about the single mom who was able to pick up some extra grocery money by carting people around her city? What about the millions of people right now relying on transportation to make a good honest living? Nope--no good, not sustainable.
We are seeing the rise of a major disruption to the transportation industry--a disruption that will impact all of us.
So when you watch the video of Uber's breakthrough self-driving taxi and you are momentarily swept away by its zeal, its cool, its cute facade, don't be too enthusiastic--this is going to have a massive global impact.
Sad isn't it? Rip up the taxi industry by replacing licensed cab-drivers with ordinary people with a vehicle, some time on their hands, and a desire to make ends meet--or at least a few extra bucks--; then cut those people out by replacing them with artificial intelligence. Does the end justify the means?
This will change everything--and it's what Uber plans to do. It's vision, as I've written before, is to take millions of vehicles off the roads, as well as to prevent human-error deaths. And they'll do this by making their solution so smart, so intuitive, that you'll be replacing the keys to your car for Uber's ultra-cool app.
Pittsburgh, your Uber taxi is waiting for you.
But what about the millions of jobs lost in the process? What about the dad who can't find a transportation job to save his or his family's life? What about the single mom who was able to pick up some extra grocery money by carting people around her city? What about the millions of people right now relying on transportation to make a good honest living? Nope--no good, not sustainable.
We are seeing the rise of a major disruption to the transportation industry--a disruption that will impact all of us.
So when you watch the video of Uber's breakthrough self-driving taxi and you are momentarily swept away by its zeal, its cool, its cute facade, don't be too enthusiastic--this is going to have a massive global impact.
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