Driverless trucks, including the big rigs, are preparing to hit the roads of Texas, and there's a lot of excitement -- but also a lot of concern.
Among those most worried, of course, are members of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
Trucking "is a very, very safe industry and it's a safe industry because of good people behind the wheel, so we need to give a lot of thought to whether we want to give up on the good ones and the good things they're doing and turn it all over to technology," OOIDA President Todd Spencer says.
One big concern, he says, is how the driverless vehicles will operate in dangerous weather, especially during severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Trained, experienced drivers know how to navigate such weather and when to pull off the road, based on conditions.
Vehicles "may or may not be able to deal with it unless you've got somebody behind the wheel who knows that they're doing."
Spencer says he's also concerned about whether the makers and operators of driverless trucks such as 18-wheelers have been fully disclosing the safety record of those vehicles.
"They're not so fully disclosing when things go wrong."
The US economy is extremely dependent on the trucking industry, and many in the industry are looking forward to technological change.
The puzzle for the industry is summed up by Jeff Farrah of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association in Axios.
"The federal government is saying we have to move 50% more freight by 2050 but there's a shortage of drivers. How do I solve this puzzle with more freight to move and less drivers to do it?"
Yes, Spencer and his organization are worried about replacing their members with technology, but there are many of us who also might worry about our jobs in the face of new tech.
This could signal a first or second wave of a soon-endless tsunami of skilled, dedicated workers being permanently unemployed by high tech.
After all, he says, the point of driverless vehicles is to eliminate the driver."