Economy

In reality, this is very similar to some of the less public systems I’ve seen in hospitals since the late 1980s. In the basement of one hospital, where there was a laundry, pharmacy, and other support departments, there was a pretty fast moving, hanging trolly system that whizzed around suspended from the ceiling. The units looked kind of like bookcases, and if one hit you, it could potentially kill someone frail or just if they got hit badly. As it was a “employees only” area, they just marked the track path on the floor and had lots of warning signs to not stray into the path, and the units had flashing lights, and they called it good. Some years later, I saw a more sophisticated system of smaller, lighter, cart-sized trolleys that were self propelled with more safety features, just following a colored line on the floor.

I don’t see these as being all that different, just more visible to the public. Presumably, they also are safer to have around people versus in the bowels of a large metropolitan hospital. Are they taking someone’s job? Also probably yes, in some hospitals. That’s a problem. I don’t think these are necessarily going to be cheaper than human labor, either, but of course CEOs just HAVE TO go for the latest dumb fad.