Humanity has made great strides in the technical world and, as of late, those strides have begun affecting the livelihood of people directly. Technology, (specifically A.I.) has seen vast advancements in recent years, so much so that for some industries the threat of redundancy is becoming ever more real.
According to original research from MoneySuperMarket, driverless vehicles are growing in capability and becoming more popular among firms that traditionally employ large numbers of drivers. Such a transition could trigger large-scale redundancies by as early as 2020. But, which jobs are in danger of being automated first?
Is Your Job At Risk?
To date in the UK, many motoring jobs have already fallen victim to automation – and as many as 1.2 million face a 67% or higher probability of their jobs being automated – representing up to £23.9 billion in annual salaries.
Among professional drivers, only driving instructors have little to fear, with the 29,000 employed in the UK having only a 13% chance of replacement with a machine. However, there are many other driving oriented jobs that could be in danger of being automated such as:
1. Food delivery drivers – The takeaway delivery industry is likely to see replacements across the board, with a 98% chance of automation.
2. Waste disposal workers – Waste collectors face a 93% likelihood of having their roles replaced by a machine. Volvo showcased a prototype bin lorry that uses drones to identify nearby bins, although this wouldn’t completely replace the need for human workers.
3. Taxi drivers – As with bus drivers, there have been moves to automate private transport services. Notably, Addison Lee has stated that the company intends to have automated vehicles deployed in London by 2021. In Tokyo, meanwhile, an autonomous taxi service began operation in August, transporting passengers along a set route.
Even though, driverless technology advances with each passing year, there are some jobs in emergency services, that aren’t at high risk of being fully automated. Services such as, ambulances, police and the fire department are at less risk of being fully replaced due to requiring additional skills.
Tom Flack, Editor-in-Chief at MoneySuperMarket, commented:
“Automation will bring massive changes across the whole of society and those who drive for a living may be among the first to feel its effects. Tests of driverless vehicles are well-advanced and are soon to be on the roads – with future positions in commercial usage already identified.
“If businesses see an opportunity to save money by making drivers redundant, they are likely to grab it – that’s the nature of competition. We can only hope that automation brings with it fresh employment opportunities for those whose existing roles disappear.”
