Pizza Hut claims autonomous delivery vehicles will create more jobs

[Greg S]

Automation is frequently cited as a cause of job loss and outsourcing. Replacing human workers with robots definitively lowers the need for hiring but does it lower the number of opportunities overall? According to Pizza Hut, introducing self-driving delivery vehicles could present more job opportunities.

It actually could create more jobs by opening the pool of "drivers" to those who do not own vehicles. They might act more as servers, focusing on hospitality.

— Pizza Hut (@pizzahut) January 9, 2018

Earlier this week at CES 2018, Toyota unveiled e-Palette vehicles that function as mobile storefronts. Pizza Hut is one of Toyota's key partners in the rollout of autonomous vehicles and is planning to sell pizza from mobile locations.

Although it seems backwards that eliminating the need for delivery drivers could offer greater opportunities for employees, Pizza Hut believes that a fundamental change in worker roles can prevent job loss. The need for human workers is not eliminated with the introduction of high-tech vehicles. Customer service, servers and hospitality positions are not able to be replaced and could be expanded.

There is disagreement among economists as to whether or not Pizza Hut is being transparent in their predictions. On one hand, it would be relatively easy to transition delivery drivers to act as servers to ensure customer satisfaction. Contrarily, layoffs could be equally as likely since fewer drivers may be needed to cover larger areas.

No matter the outcome, the effects of autonomous vehicles will not be seen for many years to come. Toyota's e-Palette transit systems will not begin testing until at least 2020, with fully functional operation potentially more than a decade away.

Pizza Hut claims new delivery vehicles will allow pizzas to remain up to 15 degrees warmer. A pilot program for beer and wine delivery to US customers could also be part of future plans in areas where laws permit direct delivery of alcoholic beverages to consumers.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/72739-pizza-hut-claims-autonomous-delivery-vehicles-create-more.html

 

[Jeff Re]

And how much less will these customer service people get paid while not getting tips?

 

[MannerMauler]

Looks like something out of I, ROBOT.

 

[NayaN]

BlackMirror Season 4 - Crocodile

 

[Cubi Dorf]

They thinking too small with just delivering. They should have robots cook the pizzas right there in the truck. 15 degrees warmer is not as good as just came out of the oven.

 

[seeprime]

If you haven't seen the Black Mirror episode that has one of these, not a Pizza Hut one, in it, give the show a look. The particular episode was called Crocodile. But, all of the episodes are great sci-fi.

 

[yRaz]

Let's cut jibs and if we do that, more jibs will be made!

I miss delivering pizzas, meeting people and playing with dogs was amazing. Best job I ever had even if it was one of the lowest paying

 

[EClyde]

Those will be the most awful pizzas ever

 

[EClyde]

Let's cut jibs and if we do that, more jibs will be made!

I miss delivering pizzas, meeting people and playing with dogs was amazing. Best job I ever had even if it was one of the lowest paying

I delivered pizzas one night. As bad as any job I ever had except for when I bottled chlorine. This is what tech does to low wage entry level jobs among others. It also does it to high skill level jobs.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Lets cut 6 jobs by making 10 jobs and increase our payout. Nah, I don't think so.

 

[Boilerhog146]

Looks like something out of I, ROBOT.

I thought that as soon as I saw it,visualize a hundred robots jumping out of it slinging pizza's,LMAO.

 

[senketsu]

From Pizza Hut:
"It actually could create more jobs by opening the pool of "drivers" to those who do not own vehicles. They might act more as servers, focusing on hospitality."
maybe it could, but for sure at Pizza Hut it won't when you fire or lay off all of the affected staff.

 

[petert]

But pizza hut already created and creates jobs in health care. Along with other health champions like coca cola, mcdonalds ,kfc and so on, has created countless opportunities by increasing diabetes and other fun conditions associated with obesity, thus making sure medical professionals numbers get up. So considerate!

 

[yRaz]

Let's cut jibs and if we do that, more jibs will be made!

I miss delivering pizzas, meeting people and playing with dogs was amazing. Best job I ever had even if it was one of the lowest paying

I delivered pizzas one night. As bad as any job I ever had except for when I bottled chlorine. This is what tech does to low wage entry level jobs among others. It also does it to high skill level jobs.

I loved delivering pizzas. Driving around listening to music while meeting people and playing with people's dogs. I guess it is whatever you make of it but I made about $20/hr and had a great time doing it. Only part I didn't like is that the driver's had to sweep and mop at the end of the night.

 

[EClyde]

I loved delivering pizzas. Driving around listening to music while meeting people and playing with people's dogs. I guess it is whatever you make of it but I made about $20/hr and had a great time doing it. Only part I didn't like is that the driver's had to sweep and mop at the end of the night.

Doing the cleanup for the people that made the mess was a major reason I quit

 

[yRaz]

Doing the cleanup for the people that made the mess was a major reason I quit

It took less than 30 minutes, I almost always doubled and would walk out of there with sometimes $300 in a night, at least $200 on a slow one. It's way better than washing dishes for $8/hr so maybe you should try that if you hated driving.

I was making over 40,000 a year as a pizza delivery driver, that's the most money I've ever made outside of being self employed. I also had a blast doing it!

 

[cliffordcooley]

I was making over 40,000 a year as a pizza delivery driver, that's the most money I've ever made outside of being self employed. I also had a blast doing it!

If you drove your own vehicle, how much of that was for upkeep?

 

[yRaz]

If you drove your own vehicle, how much of that was for upkeep?

I drove a 99 Honda Accord and outside of oil changes I never had a problem with it. They had a $2 delivery fee that they gave directly to the drivers for gas money.

That v6 Accord with 5 speed manual was a blast to drive. Bought it for $1500 with 190,000 miles on it. Took it all the way to 270,000 before I was rear ended at a stop sign.

Any costs that I might have had with the car was further offset by getting free food from work. We always got a free meal, 2 if we doubled and I'd always get to take something home for free. We sold more than just pizza so it's not as unhealthy as it sounds.

Most expsive part is I had to carry special insurance because "I used my vehicle for work". If I got into an accident while at work my insurance wouldn't cover me and the extended policy was an extra $100 a month IIRC.

Still great money for a college student working 3-4 days a week!

 

[EClyde]

It took less than 30 minutes, I almost always doubled and would walk out of there with sometimes $300 in a night, at least $200 on a slow one. It's way better than washing dishes for $8/hr so maybe you should try that if you hated driving.

I was making over 40,000 a year as a pizza delivery driver, that's the most money I've ever made outside of being self employed. I also had a blast doing it!

It was 1971 and I was making $90 a week cleaning swimming pools. I took on this night job and it would have been fine but when those smarmy little high school brats couldn't be expected to clean their mess....well, I had been working in restaurants since 1967 and never left a mess for the other guy and one was never left for me. I was a conservative even then

 

[cliffordcooley]

This reminds me of a story my father tells. He was a boiler operator at a paper plant. He was asked one night to clean the bathrooms. He explained to them it wasn't his job, and that was why they hired cleanup crews. The boss wouldn't have it any other way. My father then took a water hose in the bathrooms and wet everything down. He then took a can of air freshener, jabbed a hole in it and threw it in the door. Needless to say, he was never asked to clean the bathrooms again. He was good at his job and knew he could get away with it. But he couldn't be point blank insubordinate.

 

[psycros]

Good grief, this laughable fairy tale again? Automation hasn't increased employment rolls since the turn of the *last* century. Let's also consider how Pizza Hut has cut its in-store employee ranks by 20% in the last decade and most of those were servers. They have also closed many American dining room stores and switched to smaller locations that only offer carry out or delivery. So not only was their assertion a joke to begin with but recent history doesn't even bear it out.