[news] World’s Largest Robot Hauls Ore Through Western Australia

[unixman_again]

https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrial-robots/worlds-largest-robot-hauls-ore-through-western-australia

 

I found this interesting, which probably explains why we'll never see train drivers replaced with computers (that and the RMT)

 

"What’s most surprising about this is how long it’s taken—it seems like making a freight train autonomous is a totally obvious thing to do. .... The answer, somewhat depressingly, seems to be that the amount it costs to have one or two humans along for the ride is so low compared to both the cost of installing sensors on a train and the risk of liability if something gets screwed up that it’s just not worth the hassle in most cases."

[seacider]

if they paid the 2 crew 500,000 each per year still take a long time to cover the costs. exciting? yes,but not cost effective.

[southhamster]

if they paid the 2 crew 500,000 each per year still take a long time to cover the costs. exciting? yes,but not cost effective.

Ooh. I'll drive a train for 500000 a year!

If it's steam train so much the better!

[sted]

if they paid the 2 crew 500,000 each per year still take a long time to cover the costs. exciting? yes,but not cost effective.

i suspect getting applicants is less of a problem than keeping them. i have to imagine hours of nothing but desert gets old pretty quickly and you probably can't exactly play on your switch while in charge of a massive train lol

[mavhc]

Depends how much is IP they can sell to other rail companies around the world