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Spring Forward, Fall Back – automatic clocks and self-driving cars!

Saturday was spring forward, or the start of daylight savings time. It is less impact now than it was years ago. Daylight savings time was created to make it easier for people to be out and about during the warmer months of the year. Many years ago, you had to reset the 3every single clock in your house manually. I remember hating the fact that my wife loves clocks . Now however the majority of clocks (in our house) are internet time service connected so they reset to the correct time automatically. Except for the clock above our fireplace, that one is only right during Daylight savings time. Mostly because you have to get on a ladder to set the clock, I would say I do that twice a year but I don’t.

Automation is an interesting technological advancement. Part of the automation is the reality of machine learning. Machine learning allows for complex pattern matching much faster than humans can. The other side of automation is the growing are of artificial intelligence. ML and AI as they are called are often incorrectly labeled. Machine Learning still requires the use of patterns and the application of patterns. AI is the creation of patterns with human intervention. A lot of what automation does is things we don’t even think about. One of them is the updating of phones and computers. I remember many years ago when we used to tell customers that the number one thing that caused computer problems was the things they connected to their computer.

The internet is the “nexus” of the automation that is a clock set to the proper time.  It also allows for a lot of other automation. The reality of what can be automated continues to expand.  I don’t miss running around the house the day of Spring Forward or the day of Fall Back changing all the clocks in the house. I much prefer the automated system we have now.

I know that more and more devices are smart enough to manage the time change on their own. It does bring up an interesting question about automation.  The reality of what else is automated?  Self-driving cars is something that a lot of people are interested in, several companies have released cars that can, for the most part, drive themselves “a little.” But the true self-driving car has not yet appeared. Why? Well in part it has to do with network connectivity. In part, it has to do with traffic patterns (Machine Learning) and proper reactions (Artificial Intelligence) of the car. There are self-driving cars being tested all over the world. Eventually, we won’t drive, we will ride with a person in the driver’s seat just in case. Automation is coming, are you ready?

  • Question of

    Are you ready for self-driving cars?

    • Yes
    • No
  • Question of

    Do you still reset your clocks by hand?

    • Yes
    • No
  • Question of

    Is your coffee pot connected to the internet?

    • Yes
    • No

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What do you think?

10 Points

Written by DocAndersen

One fan, One team and a long time dream Go Cubs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

45 Comments

  1. The clock on the oven is the only one I have to reset by hand. Oh and there’s the one on the microwave that nobody remembers how to reset, so it’s just permanently wrong – not just an hour out, as it restarts whenever we have a power outage. But I’m glad the time updates automatically everywhere else. I remember missing an appointment to see a new apartment back in the 70s one March Sunday…
    When I was a kid one spring or autumn (brain’s not awake enough yet to be certain which) our family decided not to adjust the hour, with the result that we got an extra hour in bed every morning. Or so we persuaded ourselves 🙂

        • A simple sensor on the steering wheel. You touch, the car notifies police. If there is an emergency they pat you on the head and say good job. There it was simply you wishing, once again to drive, then off to car jail you go!

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        • That Albert is the reality of the potential! How many accidents are caused by distracted drivers (holding a cell phone texting or talking)? I have heard numbers that range from 30% to 50% of all accidents in the world.

          If you include, which the new systems also help with, rear-end collisions and distracted human drivers you could see an 80% reduction in accidents.

          Also, people could literally work, or get more done if they didn’t have to focus on the road!

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  2. if every car on the road were self driving, I suspect we could have a safe and robust solution right now. self driving cars that have to account for and react to erratic human driving behavior? who can say how long that will take…

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  3. I still alter the clocks by hand. Quite often here in Onehunga we have power block outs which there is no electricity for a while and so clocks have to be manually altered again. They keep on fixing the power station and so lets hope they got it right last time
    Black outs usually last 2-3 hours but at one time it lasted from 3-4 days for not just Onehunga but many Auckland suburbs

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  4. In our country, we will move the clock at the end of this month. I have to hand over a few more hours manually. I think I would not have a good sense of driving with such a car

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  5. Well, I kind of had a yes/no answer. One clock sets without needing help, which is a good thing. It reminds me to reset the rest.

    However I think daylight savings is silliness. Spending much of my time living and working the land and animals. You work from daylight to last light and it really doesn’t matter what the clock says. ?

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