Robotic Nation Evidence

Once again, like it or not, the U.S. military is bringing innovation to our lives. These autonomous vehicles will be the driver for civilian-based planes. Once people are able to review the statistics of autonomous mililary aircraft in the future, and learn of their reliability and relative safety, they will slowly allow humans to travel on such planes. No other driver than the military could have led to this, however, that I can see.

So sure, we're spending billions in Iraq, et al, but the military spending will pay off in other ways similar to the history of the Internet's creation.
 

That's really weird reasoning, anonymous. R&D isn't a happy payoff of war. War isn't startup. Well, a lot of people think of it that way, but that's a pretty reprehensible attitude in my opinion.

It's not true that there are no other venues in which robotic navigation could be tested. It's just that that's where the money is. For now. Compare what's happening in space exploration.
 

I have to disagree with pat on this one - the military have the most to gain from UAVs, far more than any civilian use of UAVs which is why only the military will persue this kind of thing untill the technology becomes cheap enough for civilian use.

Why risk expensive human pilots when an expendable robot can do the job just as well (and eventually even better)? In the civilian world, there just isn't the overall risk to human life, so there's far less drive for UAVs. Once the technolgy becomes cheap enough there will be untold civilian uses for UAVs, but to get to that point requires massive investment in R&D and that investment is only worth it if you have a pressing need for the technolgy (which means at a high price) and only the military has that pressing need.
 

Perhaps it's like Automatic Highway System- everybody would gain incredible benefit from it, they just don't know it. Contrary to their best interest, they fight it!
 

Hi Scot,

I guess we're talking about apples and oranges. I agree with you that there isnt' a terribly high demand for UAVs in the public sector. But UAVs and robotic vehicles are pretty close to equivalent, as I see it.

Looking at it that way, when you think of the number of people who die in car accidents compared to the number of people who die in combat, it's clear that the imperative for robotic vehicles is far more imperative in the public sector.
 

I agree with you, Pat, about the "need." But most people just don't see it that way. In fact, they think opposite- they think robots driving vehicles would be MORE dangerous, not less.

It may well take a real demonstration, perhaps even a military demonstration, to change the public's mind.
 

>>perhaps even a military demonstration, to change the public's mind.<<

Oh, jeez, there's a great idea. Let's blow up some people stuck in traffic. Just what I always wanted... Sorry.