Don't Check Your Brain at the Door

摘要

An auto mechanic looked at his customer like he was crazy. The car owner had just told him that the onboard engine oil algorithm hadn't triggered an oil-change signal, but the owner's manual said not to let it go past 10,000 miles. The car was at 9,000. The mechanic strongly suggested that the owner start changing the oil every 3,000 miles, basing his advice on the number of damaged engines he has seen in cars with such indicators. The manager of a large equipment fleet is testing the extended change-interval claims from his lube supplier. Although promised a move from 250 to 500 hours, he wanted to measure how the engine oil performed in his particular earthmoving machines in his particular applications. Operator-trainers from Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers were slot dozing with one of Komatsu's intelligent machines, comparing automated machine control with manual dozing. The operator, although recognizing and appreciating the benefits of the technology, said he still needed to make the decision how and when to kick in the automated control.