Aurora (a project from former Google, Uber, and Tesla engineers) showed trucks with autopilot that transport cargo between states without driver participation. There is human control, but almost no intervention is required.
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What are the problems?
Not everything is perfect. AI in transport faces a number of challenges:
Legal restrictions – in most countries, fully autonomous driving is not allowed. Changes in traffic rules and liability are needed.
Moral dilemmas — who to “choose” in the event of an inevitable accident? What decision will AI make?
Technical difficulties — bad weather, sensor failure, unpredictable behavior of people on the road.
Hacker attacks — autopilots can be hacked, and this is a matter of national security.
AI is learning, but it cannot yet predict absolutely everything. It is developing rapidly, but requires constant supervision and updates.
What awaits us next?
In the next 5-10 years, AI in transport will become ubiquitous. We will see:
Cities with autonomous taxis.
Smart traffic lights, regulated by AI depending on the flow of cars.
Buses without drivers on fixed routes.
Full automation of cargo transportation on highways.
Integration of transport into smart cities, where everything — from parking lots to gas stations — is controlled by AI in real time.
We will also see hybrid models where humans and machines work together. The driver is like a captain, and AI is like an assistant navigator.
And yet, can you trust your life to AI?
In fact, we already trust AI: in aviation, in medicine, in banking. The question is not “if,” but “how much” and “when.” Already today, many accidents are prevented thanks to AI, not humans.
The main thing is to ensure control, safety, and transparency. AI should not work in a black box. We must understand how it makes decisions and how to correct them.
Conclusion
AI is already changing transport – from taxis to trucks. It makes driving safer, faster and more convenient. And although we are not yet ready to completely hand over the wheel to the machine, this moment is just around the corner.
Autopilot is not just a function. It is a symbol of a new era, where machines do not just obey humans, but become their intelligent assistants. And there is no magic in this. Only mathematics, technology and the future that is coming right now.
