> So, while various companies have set out to automate the giant dump trucks, having a continuous chain of smaller, self-driving trucks using standard parts and without the need for a driver cabin would be much more efficient<p>So, to anyone with dirt experience, hivekit just called themselves out as being the techies that don't get it.<p>On-road trucks are fragile and require highly attentive drivers to run without destroying the trucks off-road.<p>Everything breaks in the dirt, and almost all mining operations need very nuanced knowledge to conduct safely, for people or machines.<p>> Areas, where traffic is highly structured and controlled.<p>That isn't mining or the oil patch.<p>You are dealing with mud, dropped rocks that will take out brake chambers, continually changing conditions etc...<p>The Moravec Paradox hits all these attempts, because people without domain knowledge under estimate the skills required.<p>While minimizing operator count is useful, this isn't Minecraft. It takes a lot of skill and being adaptive changing conditions to even different with an excavator.<p>Some mines with consistent material properties and safe conditions do automate digging up a stope, but most mining requires expertise and informed judgement.<p>Even in the oilfield, drilling is a high skilled job, were you have to adopt to changing conditions to avoid breaking the drill stem, which is expensive to fish and fix.<p>Even robots in warehouses are a challenge and that is far closer to the authors claimed conditions.