Author | Marcos MartínezIn 1853, the Otis Elevator Company began installing manual elevators. Unlike the ones we know today, they required an operator known as a “lift attendant”. For more than a century it was a much sought-after profession and, yet, today it is very hard to find one.Does anyone today actually remember lift attendants? The truth is we are probably surrounded by professions which, by mid-century, everyone will have forgotten. Skills such as driving or food preparation are already on the automation horizon, therefore, we need to refresh and update our crafts.
When will manual drivers disappear?
The comparison between lift attendants and professional drivers is just too easy not to give in to it. We have spent over 50 years developing autonomous driving systems, but the truth is we are not really sure when we will see the results. 2020? 2025? 2030?The first autonomous vehicles are already circulating around the world, and there are dozens of leading brands that have announced the sale of highly-automated models for 2020. It seems that in a few years millions of people will have to look for new skills in order to find jobs.
Automatic lifts already existed in around 1900. However, users didn’t trust them, and it took decades for them to have a strong presence in cities. Autonomous mobility is progressing at a much faster rate, according to figures released by Deloitte (above).In 2017, 74% of Americans, 79% of Japanese and 62% of Chinese people doubted these cars. Barely one year later, these percentages have dropped drastically, except for specific increases. A few years from now, people will be ready for driverless cars, as drivers will disappear as fast as lift attendants did, together with other professions.
