When Politeness Becomes a Deadlock
■ A design that was correct alone jams in pairs
Stop, and let the other one pass. Alone, that rule is safe and courteous, and both machines follow it faithfully. Meet head-on in a narrow corner, though, and both reverse together, then advance together. Yielding becomes a loop, and the corridor stops moving.
■ Neither machine has any way to read the other's intent
People settle this with a glance and a small nod — a fast negotiation about who goes first. Robots have no such layer. Different vendors share no protocol, so neither can observe the other's state. Hakobukun sees an obstacle, not a partner making the same decision.
■ Conclusion: arbitration belongs to the environment, not the unit
The jam ends when a nurse pushes one machine aside by hand. Calling a human referee every time is patching a design gap with labour. Put the layer that decides precedence outside the machines themselves.
Yielding only works when someone can be yielded to.
