My Robot

It's no surprise that they've tested an autonomous truck on public roads in Nevada, USA - a machine that drives itself, actually on the road - we've been expecting it for ages. But now it's here you have to wonder where these automations will lead, and that's the thing: the road to full automaton is being laid, whether we like it or not. The question is, do we really want a world dominated by robotics, or is it just something being thrust upon us? From what I've seen there's denial from most quarters.

The American tests were reported in a recent magazine article that seemed almost apologetic when it referred to the driver relinquishing control of the truck. But this being an industry journal, so understandable it should attempt to reassure readers that a driver was still a key component. Publicly, manufacturers talk about the importance of the driver - while all the time edging us towards a driverless vehicle. And despite knowing that in terms of safety the driver really is the weakest part of the truck, we all appear to hang on to the notion that someone, a person, should be in control.

It is true that the benefits of automation are undeniable. Improved safety, efficiency and environmental improvements are all there, and not just the obvious ones. In years to come we could actually live in a world where our visual environment is not cluttered with enormous road signs or white paint markings and bollards. Roundabouts and junctions could change from bottlenecks of stagnation to those of continuous flow, as intelligent machines work together. But it's these road features that are themselves the signs of human control, like the steering wheel and brake pedal, and once they're gone the skills associated with them will also go, most probably lost forever.

So, are these automatons something we really want? The ready answer may be a resounding, no, but the truth is something different. Every change we make is geared to our perception of improvement. Smart phones, for example, are considered such an enhancement to life that we await the next upgrade with pretty hefty enthusiasm. But like all clever technology their ability to please and provide is partly based on collecting information about us, communicating with other machines and ultimately doing what they think best. After all, it's what we require of them. It's the same with vehicles: we demand ease and performance and the machine provides. Intelligent drive systems decide on appropriate gearing and power output; telematics assists productivity; GPS tells us where to drive; and safety systems help to keep us on the straight and narrow, and upright.

Few could wish to revert to trucks of the past in everyday work. Roping and sheeting, non-synchronized manual gearboxes, low power engines and stealing glances at a map book. Heavy clutch pedals, stopping at phone boxes, cold nights and waxed up diesel. No cruise control, noise, and a tinny radio. And oil and dirt. Our world has changed because of the advance of mechanisms both simple and complex. It's what we want and will continue to call for until full automation is ushered in and the machines take over completely. It's seen in all aspects of life: the gradual advance of intelligent, safe, fast, cheap and easy. Realistically, it'll probably be a few decades before we see a transport system with no drivers or even warehouse and transport office staff, but I hope when they do finally arrive these robots retain one aspect of human involvement: the desire to protect endangered species.