PHENOMENON OF THE SELF-DRIVING CAR
Editor's note: Liam D. ('18) questions the positive and negative consequences of self-driving cars.
I read about the development of self-driving cars, vehicles that can drive without any human assistance, but also seem able to do it safer than most humans. The articles seemed to focus on the recurring fault that the self-driving would, ironically, follow the law, speed limit, etc. while human drivers often take certain liberties to get to their destination faster. They pointed out situations where the car was unable to get past a four-way stop or was even pulled over by a cop for driving too slow. I think the most important part is not the small problems in these cars but the implications of not only self-driving cars, but robots and machines larger role in our world. I think there are so many positives to a self-driving car as they lower the chances of car crashes tremendously, according to Google’s records, as when the car has gotten into an accident it has never been at fault. From a business perspective it would be extremely appealing to not have to hire drivers to transport products or people and from a drivers perspective it would be appealing to not have to drive on long trips or even just the ability to take breaks when you feel tired. But one of the most important points is the lives, which would normally be lost driving drunk, tired, or reckless, that would be saved as a result of a self-driving car, but even if these cars are not perfect and make mistakes it seems almost inevitable that they will make less than humans improving our world. But I think the prospect of robots coming into our society will not exist in cars. This phenomenon begs the question of what humans can do which robots cannot?
As I searched the Internet I came across a series of robots that would test thousands of drugs and compounds on thousands of different diseases to see if these drugs could provide cures. They were able to not only learn from their own mistakes and learning experiences but the mistakes of their peers as well, they became able to do around three million tests on a different disease every week, a fate that would take these researchers fifty-six hours a week for twelve years to do by hand. I then came across a robot named Baxter, with the ability to see and move, but most interestingly it could easily be taught to do mosts simple tasks without programming. Lastly, and most shockingly, I heard a robot named Emily Howell who could create music, which I could not distinguish from any real composer. I think it is scary to imagine that even creativity; one of the abilities we tend to associate most dearly to humanity can be recreated in a machine. I feel this begs the question what humans can do that robots cannot? I used to be under the impression humans would always hold their place in society, but after seeing that robots cannot only do simple tasks, but can even scientists and doctors, it forces me to wonder what will happen in the future when many humans will not be needed. To think that robots can learn from the experience of their peers in a way we humans cannot, adapt and learn at a pace we humans cannot, and be as creative as only the most creative humans can is scary. Why would an employer choose a human over a robot which is, and only will become, cheaper, works faster and longer than any human, and which has a brain that never fatigues or makes mistakes. It is a scary thing to think about, but I can only wonder what the role of billions will become when we are inevitably inferior and disadvantaged.
Bibliography
Rethink robotics. (n.d.). Baxter | Redefining Robotics and Manufacturing | Rethink Robotics. Retrieved from http://www.rethinkrobotics.com/baxter/
Cope, D. (n.d.). Emily Howell. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/Emily-howell.htm
Davidhcope. (2013, August 11). Emily Howell darkness 3 end. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDwxA8RME2Y
Science News That Stuck With Us in 2015. (2015, December 27). Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/28/science/2015-top-science-stories.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront.
Hauser, C. (2015, November 13). Google Driverless Car Is Stopped by California Police for Going Too
Slowly. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/14/business/google-driverless-car-is-stopped-by-california-police-for-going-too-slowly.html?_r=0
Wall Street Journal. (2013, November 12). This Robot Is Changing How We Cure Diseases. Retrieved
January 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra0e97Wiqds
As I searched the Internet I came across a series of robots that would test thousands of drugs and compounds on thousands of different diseases to see if these drugs could provide cures. They were able to not only learn from their own mistakes and learning experiences but the mistakes of their peers as well, they became able to do around three million tests on a different disease every week, a fate that would take these researchers fifty-six hours a week for twelve years to do by hand. I then came across a robot named Baxter, with the ability to see and move, but most interestingly it could easily be taught to do mosts simple tasks without programming. Lastly, and most shockingly, I heard a robot named Emily Howell who could create music, which I could not distinguish from any real composer. I think it is scary to imagine that even creativity; one of the abilities we tend to associate most dearly to humanity can be recreated in a machine. I feel this begs the question what humans can do that robots cannot? I used to be under the impression humans would always hold their place in society, but after seeing that robots cannot only do simple tasks, but can even scientists and doctors, it forces me to wonder what will happen in the future when many humans will not be needed. To think that robots can learn from the experience of their peers in a way we humans cannot, adapt and learn at a pace we humans cannot, and be as creative as only the most creative humans can is scary. Why would an employer choose a human over a robot which is, and only will become, cheaper, works faster and longer than any human, and which has a brain that never fatigues or makes mistakes. It is a scary thing to think about, but I can only wonder what the role of billions will become when we are inevitably inferior and disadvantaged.
Bibliography
Rethink robotics. (n.d.). Baxter | Redefining Robotics and Manufacturing | Rethink Robotics. Retrieved from http://www.rethinkrobotics.com/baxter/
Cope, D. (n.d.). Emily Howell. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/Emily-howell.htm
Davidhcope. (2013, August 11). Emily Howell darkness 3 end. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDwxA8RME2Y
Science News That Stuck With Us in 2015. (2015, December 27). Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/28/science/2015-top-science-stories.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront.
Hauser, C. (2015, November 13). Google Driverless Car Is Stopped by California Police for Going Too
Slowly. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/14/business/google-driverless-car-is-stopped-by-california-police-for-going-too-slowly.html?_r=0
Wall Street Journal. (2013, November 12). This Robot Is Changing How We Cure Diseases. Retrieved
January 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra0e97Wiqds
