30 MARCH 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Some Things Simply Cannot Be Automated by Britt Storkson Owner, P2FlowLLC Like the adage goes: There are limits to everything. There’s a limit to how much money you can spend, how much debt you can pile up, and there’s a limit to your intellectual and physical prowess. We could go on and on with this. While those limits may be very high, they are hard limits - meaning there’s no way we can extend or get around those limits. Nowhere is this more true than with computer controls. Computers can do a lot of things, but they, like everything else, have their limits. Woe to the computer programmer who does not respect those limits. One of many examples I could cite: Tesla automobiles have been touting their “Autopilot” system for several years now, which implies their car, with all of the advanced technology, is fully capable of driving itself without human intervention. Numerous lawsuits and a recently instituted safety recall involving nearly every one of their cars would call that claim into question. We’re talking over two million cars here. This is not a minor issue. The Associated Press reported in an article entitled “Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in US to fix system that monitors drivers using Autopilot.” The Daily Caller writes: “Elon Musk’s Tesla Issues Recall For Almost All US Vehicles After Government Probe.” I won’t begin to try and untangle all of the alleged problems and possible “fixes” for these problems because they are many and varied, but I will state unequivocally that some things simply cannot be automated - at least automated well enough to perform satisfactorily in the real world with the technology we have at this time. Now what is Tesla offering for a “fix”? (Drumroll please . . .) A software update! Tell me you haven’t heard that one before. Granted, there may be problems with the software which can be fixed, but that’s not the only piece to this puzzle. There are a number of sensors on a Tesla that could either be flawed or not up to the task in one way or another which should be considered here . . . but won’t be at this time. Often, flawed or inadequate data from a sensor can alter the main program execution, meaning it is possible for the software to work perfectly fine until some sort of inputting device (like a sensor) is connected to it. Then the software doesn’t work or, far more commonly, does work satisfactorily most of the time, but not ALL of the time. These intermittent types of failures are far more difficult and time consuming to diagnose and devise a solution for. Believe it not, “Autopilot” in cars is nothing new. It was available on 1958 Chryslers and Imperials. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4N60oB7NT4. And it was actually called “Auto Pilot.” This operated much like what we now know as “cruise control” which maintains a preset speed under various driving conditions. So this begs the question: Will we ever get truly self-driving cars? I think the technology can be improved, but I don’t think the technology will ever completely replace a human driver. Why? Because computers cannot reason. Computers cannot make judgment calls when needed. Like I’ve advocated for some time now: Use computers to aid the driver, not replace the driver. Same goes for airplane pilots. Computers are great at noting certain events and remembering things . . . in many ways much better than humans. So let’s leverage those positive attributes of computers to our advantage and quit chasing the “Holy Grail” of completely selfdriving cars, because it’s not going to happen. Britt Britt Storkson may be contacted via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com MAY WWDR Issue Deadlines: Space Reservation, 3/25/2024 Ad Copy Due: 4/1/2024 Editorial contributions for JUNE are due by 4/15/2024.
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