Pizza could one day be delivered without drivers

Concept is in testing, and raises questions about other deliveries

One day, in the very near future, it’s possible that pizza could be delivered to your home — and there would be no delivery person involved, just a driverless car.

Ford and Domino’s are currently testing the concept in Ann Arbor, Mich., according to the Associated Press.

In the test, a Ford engineer is at the wheel, but the windows are blacked out, preventing customers from interacting with the driver.

AP reports that when the car arrives, customers walk outside and enter a four-digit code into a keypad on the car. Then, a rear window will open, and the customer can retrieve the order from a heated compartment.

In Yuma, walking outside to the driveway or the curb probably isn’t a big deal. After all, we don’t have snow or ice in the winter, and a heavy rainstorm is a rarity.

Most people here are likely willing to slip their shoes on and walk outside to get their pizza. But that might not be the case in areas where the weather can be wet, snowy or icy.

However, if the delivery system works for pizzas, one has to wonder if, in theory, such a system could one day eventually expand to delivering regular packages as well.

That opens up an interesting idea on delivery times too. Imagine if your package deliveries happened after 5 p.m., or could be scheduled for a window of time while you are home, where you could step outside and get the package. If deliveries were handled by self-driving vehicles, that’s a not-unrealistic possibility. Traditional delivery time frames — 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or so — would become obsolete, because a self-driving vehicle wouldn’t be limited to traditional work schedules. But the concept would require someone be home to actually walk outside to get the package. On the plus side, such a delivery system could potentially cut down on package delivery thefts when people aren’t home.

The question of self-driving cars delivering pizza or any other goods, however, also raises interesting employment questions. If self-driving cars take over pizza delivery, that could eliminate a potential category of employment in the future.

What do you think, readers? Is there appeal to driverless pizza deliveries? Share your thoughts online at www.YumaSun.com, or send us a letter to the editor at letters@yumasun.com.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?

Just what kids need to see at the movies: The idea of having liquor, in any amount (2 20-oz drink maximum?) is ridiculous. I have heard parents complain the Minions are ‘too out of control’ for their kids. Now, you want to allow the adults to drink as well? The maximum is over a quart of drink! Movies are a family event, a dating event, a friend event. I am all for hard liquor, all for wine… but let’s be responsible about it. Oh and when you take the kids home, who is driving? Guess I’ll have to use Netflix and Redbox for my ‘grandkids.’

There’s a term that all old folks should be aware of

And I’m sure its daily use be more than once

If you don’t know what it is, you should be pitied

Either that or you’re some kind of a dunce.

The term that I’m speaking of is old friends

The ones that will stand by you through the years

And be there in days of joy or sorrow

And also there to help you calm your fears.

Don’t know what I did to deserve them

But always they are at my beck and call

They reach out every time that I need them I never, ever have to beg or crawl. My heart fills with gladness when I see them

And also fills my nights with ecstasy

For this couple I refer to ease my sadness

Their names, of course, are Bud and Sherrie.

Don’t know how I can ever repay them Don’t even know if I ever can But I know I will cherish them forever Till my hourglass runs out of sand. Just knowing they are near is such a blessing

There’s no one else but Martha I love more

And I’ll always hold them oh so dearly

Until the day the good Lord slams my door.

As unpredictable as North Korea acts, we and our allies in the area need the assurance that all options are on the table, which includes superior air defense systems, sufficient ground troops and cyber superiority. Fortunately the U.S. has always had long-term vision with our military readiness. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter stationed here has been built for this exact situation, and I’m sure glad it was. Both South Korea and Japan will in time purchase these highly technical aircraft and they will be equipped to deliver the undetectable tactical nuclear weapons with much smaller yields. While we don’t know what is going to happen with the North Korean government’s radical actions, we can be assured that the U.S. military and leaders like Senator McCain were years ahead in thinking.

John McCain needs to retire and retire soon. I have supported John McCain in each of his campaigns. I have worked for John McCain on some of his campaigns. As member of the news media beginning locally in the early 1980s and into the year 2004, I have covered John McCain, and when I needed a personal favor, I picked up the phone and spoke with his assistant Torri Clark and John McCain came to Yuma and delivered. BUT, that was a lot of years ago. As a Broadcaster News Director, I also covered conservative icon the late Barry Goldwater in his final days and months. John McCain reminds me of Barry Goldwater. Too sick to be an effective member of the Senate from Arizona. John McCain, as a longtime supporter, I ask you to retire and go home to Sedona and relax. For your military service, I salute you sir. For your years in captivity, I salute you, but John, it is late and it is time to go.

(NOTE) I’ll bet my friends across the aisle will be shocked out of their minds when they read this letter. They thought I only wrote to bash Democrats. Now get onboard and support your president.