Budweiser makes first delivery with self-driving big rig

Self-driving truck makes its first delivery with the driver in the back seat.

The first delivery by a self-driving truck has already been made, according to the Uber-owned firm, Otto and Budweiser. Budweiser used the truck to perform a full beer delivery from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - If you are a truck driver, be warned. Self driving trucks have arrived and in the next two years should begin performing regular duty on the highways. Truck driving is one of the most common professions in America with nearly 3.5 million truckers and over 8 million more personnel in support roles.  The profession provides a decent middle-class income for many people without the need for a degree. It is a skilled profession, and it requires expertise and attention. More than 90 percent of truck drivers are owner/operators, meaning the drivers also own their trucks.

However, these days are numbered. The first self-driving truck has completed a 120 mile delivery, beginning at a weigh station in Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. A human was in the cab the entire time, but remained in the back seat, monitoring the truck's performance. The truck was also monitored by area police.

The delivery was a success and is an important milestone for the emerging technology. It is clear that self-driving trucks can provide significant value by driving themselves on the freeways and highways of the nation.

Concerns remain on how well the trucks will perform on city streets and as they pull into loading and delivery sites.

There are tremendous incentives for the deployment of self-driving trucks. Even if a driver must operate the truck in high-traffic areas, a vehicle that drives itself on the freeway is worthwhile. The new trucks can reduce driver fatigue and eliminate the need for drivers during that stretch. Special depots could be constructed to send and stop trucks off freeways, allowing them to drop off or pick up human drivers along certain stretches. Special lanes may be created that are exclusively for self-driving trucks to keep meddling human drivers out of the way. Costs could be dramatically cut.

This is a problem for owner-operators too. As self-driving trucks become better at what they do, the need for human labor to compete with the very low costs of self-driving trucks will be felt. Wages will fall as people compete against computers.

One upshot however is that owner-operators may soon be able to set their trucks to autopilot and enjoy their drives more as they rest in the cab, or perform other work on the road.

Eventually, futurists see a time in the not-too distant future where all vehicles are self-driving and humans no longer drive at all. They believe such a world will be cheaper and safer and a lot less stressful.

Budweiser had nothing but praise for the Otto delivery. The company believes it can save more than $50 million per year by using driverless trucks, even if humans still go along for the ride. Fuel efficiency and increased safety alone make the investment worthwhile.

According to a recent study from Oxford reveals that as many as 47 percent of American jobs are vulnerable to automation.

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