>> Do you really think Trump will fund them?
I don't see it moving that quickly.
But consider the following example. In the coming five or six years, any job, the title of which includes the word "drive", is basically apt to disappear or be in the process of disappearing. The only question is whether Tesla can grow fast enough.
(True, some others may develop a competing system, but at the end of the day, they are likely to gravitate toward the Tesla system). And Musk will flood the streets with self-driving vehicles, whether they're tesla or other companies lease the tech from them (which requires 2 years lead time on a given model of vehicle, or an after-market install which is probably going to be awfully challenging).
Any taxicab operation in major city is going to be at significant competitive disadvantage. Uber will die as we know it. Teslas are both safer and less expensive transportation.
Over-the-road trucks cannot move so quickly, but they are going to move. Again, safer and less expensive to operate, with the added advantage of 24/7 driving.
You are probably looking at 25% or more of jobs in the US being threatened by this development.
But then, you have to think about those who will be replaced by early robots -- dock workers (well, the unions already negotiated away automation for the current contract, but will struggle with that next negotiation), store attendants, personal assistants, warehouse/logistics, repetitive tasks, etc.) I did some consulting for a time for a large warehouse operation. They would ditch half their warehouse workers instantly. (I was being shown the new warehouse addition by client one day, and he noticed a steel pole had been hit by a forklift 10 days after it opened. Prime candidates for replacement).
We need to be reducing the size of government on a regular basis or we will meet with crisis as some of these things begin to hit hard. |
