How do you feel about being driven around by a robot? I’ve got my reservations.
Before we landed back in the UK this week we managed a little catchup with San Fran, where our eyes were opened to the wonders of Ai on the city’s streets. Before the rain and mist descended we managed to grab some rides on the famous cable cars.
These ancient rickety carriages hurtle up and down the San Francisco’s undulating roads, screeching to a halt in unexpected places and ringing their tinkling bells as they squeak and rattle away. It was fun to sit on the outside benches and stare up the steep streets of old American style terraced houses.
The cable cars and the old trams run alongside normal traffic, and seem at odds with what appeared to be futuristic taxis. We looked twice at a white saloon car with a large rotating cylinder on its roof – was it an unmarked police car? As it passed, we were completely shocked to see that there was no one in the driving seat, in fact there was no one in the car at all… but there it was slowing down at a pedestrian crossing before sweeping round the corner.
We stood back on the pavement and took a breath. Is this really happening? Is it safe? Now we’d clocked them, we could see them everywhere, I’d estimate every 10th car was a ‘ghost vehicle’. Later that night, as we dodged the rain and sheltered under a hotel canopy, we watched as one of the ‘ghost cars’ pulled up and a man jumped in the back. It was so weird to watch him drive away with the front seats empty.
On our way to the airport we chatted to our Lyft driver (like Uber, but cheaper) asking what he thought about the ‘ghost cars’. He didn’t feel under threat and thought they were a bit of a gimmick.
“You pay more, to get you there more slowly!”
He asked if we’d taken a ride in one. We shook our heads. Were we too scared?
It makes me wonder how much control I’m prepared to give Ai… is it just because I don’t recognise how much of every day life is being run by computer programs? We have apps for everything from banking to doorbells, so what am I afraid of?
How long before we board a plane or get on a boat without a human pilot or a skipper? Perhaps it’s just a matter of adjusting perspectives, or are there real risks in putting our safety into the hands of a robot? Time will tell.
rachelfarmer 