PRISMATIST

FROM THE INSIGHTER'S TECHNOLOGY DESK

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Autonomous vehicles are just around the corner.  Google, Apple and lots of new start ups are engaged, along with the auto companies in a race to get these self driving cars on the road.  But a new start up, “Singularity Motors”, is going even further.  We caught up with their spokesperson, Bill Barnumbsky, the other day and asked him what made their approach different from all the others?

 

BB - “Everyone has been focusing on the driver but no one has been thinking about the human passengers.”

 

Insighter - “You’re going to improve their experience?”

 

BB - “We’re going to eliminate their experience.  We will have no human passengers.”

 

Insighter - “So what will it carry?”

 

BB - “Robots, who else?  That’s why our company is called Singularity Motors because singularity is the point in time when machines with artificial intelligence, what we call AI, will surpass human intelligence.  If you want to sell cars in the future then they need to be designed for the passengers of the future – and they’re going to be robots not humans.  Since these robots with artificial intelligence, or AI for short, are smarter than humans why would they agree to be stacked in the back of a truck or van? No, way!  If anything, they’ll be more demanding than humans when it comes to their mode of transportation.”

 

Insighter - “If cars are built for robots how will humans get around?”

 

BB -“Humans?  Where would they be going?  They won’t be going to jobs because the robots will be doing all the work.  Besides, without a paycheck most people won’t be able to afford anything.”

 

Insighter - “Have you actually designed any of these cars, or whatever you call these vehicles?”

 

BB - “We call them robotomobiles and, yes, we’ve just completed the designs for our first model.”

 

Insighter - “Your engineers have gotten that far?”

 

BB - “Engineers?  Who needs engineers?  We use AI to design robotomobiles.   After all, they’re the ones who will be driving and riding in them. “

 

Insighter - “You mean you don’t involve any humans in the design?”

 

BB - “Nope and, it goes without saying that we will manufacture them with robots as well.“

 

Insighter -  “But you’ll still need sales people, won’t you?”

 

BB -  “Why would a robot want to buy a car from a person?  Even humans don’t trust people who sell cars. This will be strictly robot to robot. ”

 

Insighter - “How will robots pay for the robotomobiles they buy?”

 

BB - “With virtual currencies like Bitcoin, of course.  What could be better for robot customers than computerized money?”

 

Insighter - “We have to admit that the people who came up with this idea are pretty smart.”

 

BB - “There aren’t any people smart enough to come up with an idea like this:  An AI computer thought it up.   As a matter of fact, I’m the only human being working for Singularity Motors.  The pay is great although, as you can imagine, there’s not much job security.”

 

At this point Mr. Barnumbsky ended the interview saying he had to get to their test track. 

 

Insighter – “You’re going to observe a robotomobile being tested on a track?”

 

BB – “Observe?  I’m the test dummy.  They don’t want to risk a robot.”