DailyPost 781
THE AGE OF AUTOMATION
We have been hearing of automation all our life, the dimensions and intensity changing with every passing phase. In India we remember of banks getting automated / computerised to a stage today where rarely one goes to a bank. But so far we still had a human face behind automation or banking and other transactions happening without human intervention. Industrial Revolution 4.0 has begun, the merger of Cyber – Physical. While its happening in quite a few areas, the physical public domain impact making phase is about to start.
Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, introduced 16 fully automated ‘self bag drop machines,’ luggage check in just 45 seconds. Next to come would be facial recognition making your movement seamless across the airport. But something which really heralds the real Age of Automation is the proposed launch of Waymo commercial driverless cars service in Phoenix, Arizona next month. As per Waymo CEO John Krafcik, the early riders trial has been on in Phoenix since early last year, which has brought it to the commercial launch stage.
Man so visible behind the wheels will slowly fade into history, a visible take over happening for the first time in human history on grounds of efficiency, productivity and safety. A watershed moment for both the man and the machine. This launch is happening only weeks after obtaining a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California without a safety driver behind the wheel. Waymo will be the first to launch ahead of Lyft & Uber.
It’s not going to be a smooth ride and Waymo says that the movement further would be with all precautions, as reaching this stage has not been easy. Additional safety precautions would be in place. The Waymo fleet would be of Chrysler Pacifica minivans. The commercial kick off program will not “mark the end of it’s Early Rider Program; instead, members will “continue to test new features” and “offer feedback to the company.” Despite fears of safety, because of accident at Tempe, Arizona recently, the journey of driverless cars is moving in the right direction.
PRECAUTION & TESTING VIGOROUSLY AT EVERY STEP, WILL CONSOLIDATE THE GAINS FOR DRIVERLESS CARS.
Sanjay Sahay