Orion, driverless package cars, delivery robots, and the future of UPS

[The Driver]

Is part of the implementation of Orion about setting the stage for the future of driverless package cars and delivery automatons conquering the "travelling salesman problem"? Will the driverless PCs be making as many lefts onto double-yellow lined roads as we do? Will the robots have to wear the uniforms or will they be simply UPS-branded? Will they call out "UPS!" on the way into businesses? Et cetera.

Yeah, I realize 4/20 was the other day.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

 

[clean hairy]

How will Management discipline the robot for running overallowed?
If Robots are loading the Package cars, what will the Driver Robot do to the Loader Robot for sending it out with a crappy load?
Will the package cars be referred to as Robo Trucks?

 

[ManInBrown]

How will they decide which robot is the steward?

 

[The Driver]

Will robots form a union after the singularity?

 

[km3]

I think we're decades away from the technology being efficient enough to be cheaper than human employees and able to perform on an equal or better level.

With that having been said, I voted "Never." It may be wishful thinking, but I would hope that the union would put a stop to this in a future contract before it even starts.

 

[Covemastah]

Going over 9 /5 warning
will Robinson

 

[soberups]

There is no forseeable or even imaginable technology that will ever allow a robot to do the work of a package car driver.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

There is no forseeable or even imaginable technology that will ever allow a robot to do the work of a package car driver.

Feeders....

 

[The Driver]

There is no forseeable or even imaginable technology that will ever allow a robot to do the work of a package car driver.

I agree. I voted for the post-2100 year option. Way too many variables to consider in my opinion. But maybe one day...

 

[The Blackadder]

Once Skynet becomes self aware this will all be moot.
But when a robot break down with that be an injury reported to OSHA?

 

[clean hairy]

Will the Robot be charged for an avoidable accident while out of the PC making a delivery and some numbskull runs into the parked PC?
How will the Robots file a grievance for violation of the 9.5 list?
How will the Robot react to a warning letter for late air and missed pickups? Will the Robot try to blame it on Orion?
Will the Robot be able to reason as a Human does to break trace to make service?
What happens to the Robot if it does not meet the 85% Orion trace requirement?

 

[Jackburton]

Once you see autonomous personal vehicles being used widespread, bring this thread up, otherwise it's a pipe dream. It's like saying when will we be able to have robots to "personally" serve us. The pornographic industry would utilize this tech before a wide spread industrial use, speaking in terms of the "traditional robot" in which we all think of.

 

[Box Ox]

I think the typical roles of management will be automated and/or centralized to far fewer locations long before those of a driver.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I think the typical roles of management will be automated and/or centralized to far fewer locations long before those of a driver.

Centralized dispatch with minimal local involvement will be the next change.

 

[soberups]

Centralized dispatch with minimal local involvement will be the next change.

We already have that today.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We already have that today.

I am talking about more than stops per car and total number of routes.

 

[soberups]

Feeders....

There is no forseeable or even imaginable technology that will allow a robot to replace a feeder driver.

Yes there have been choreographed "tests" of driverless feeder rigs in Europe, but these were under carefully controlled conditions, perfect weather, in a convoy.

A robot wont be able to build a set of triples, install chains, or deal with changing schedules, closed roads, snow, ice or rush hour traffic.

6 robot feeder rigs arriving at an overcrowded hub at the same time wont be able to coordinate their movements with one another in order to get the trailers to the right doors at the right times.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

There is no forseeable or even imaginable technology that will allow a robot to replace a feeder driver.

Yes there have been choreographed "tests" of driverless feeder rigs in Europe, but these were under carefully controlled conditions, perfect weather, in a convoy.

A robot wont be able to build a set of triples, install chains, or deal with changing schedules, closed roads, snow, ice or rush hour traffic.

6 robot feeder rigs arriving at an overcrowded hub at the same time wont be able to coordinate their movements with one another in order to get the trailers to the right doors at the right times.

The weather and road conditions are something technology will catch up with in the next few decades. Everything else you mentioned could be done by a part time hub employee.

I'm not saying jobs will be eliminated, but there will certainly be a fight over pay cuts when technology is doing most of the job.

 

[UPyourS]

I'll destroy every robot I see...and take the package.....if I was to lose my job over one. Lol