Don't get me wrong - you guys accomplished incredible stuff so I am far from dissing you.
But to think you finally open your offer to Wallmart and all other big stuff-movers and not to see them drooling at the fact that they can cut their workforce 15% and just hire turk-style operators at $2/hour is just naive.
While your technology is amazing, the assumption that you will have same trucker seating at the wheel now siting at the joystick comfy at home at the same rate is wrong IMHO.
Starsky CEO here. Not an unrealistic thought at all.
My childish/idealistic personal thesis is that if you think 10-20% more, you can make "doing the right thing" into "doing the long-term profitable thing." Most business leaders are just too lazy / short-sighted to put in the extra effort.
Part of why we're being the operator is to make sure the teleop drivers can be paid well. Now, we might have competitors in time who mess that up, but if regulators which I think can be prevented by regulators and other stakeholders
But to think you finally open your offer to Wallmart and all other big stuff-movers and not to see them drooling at the fact that they can cut their workforce 15% and just hire turk-style operators at $2/hour is just naive.
While your technology is amazing, the assumption that you will have same trucker seating at the wheel now siting at the joystick comfy at home at the same rate is wrong IMHO.