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Uber Terminates 100 Self-Driving Car Operators

Uber has laid off its self-driving car operators in Pittsburgh, as the company rethinks its autonomous vehicle strategy following the fatal crash in Tempe, Ariz. earlier this year, reports Quartz.

July 16, 2018
Uber Terminates 100 Self-Driving Car Operators

Uber suspended driverless-car testing at its four sites in Pittsburgh, Tempe, Ariz., Toronto, and San Francisco after one of its vehicles, which was in autonomous mode at the time, struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe on March 18.

Photo via NTSB/Wikimedia.

1 min to read


Uber has laid off its self-driving car operators in Pittsburgh, as the company rethinks its autonomous vehicle strategy following the fatal crash in Tempe, Ariz. earlier this year, reports Quartz.

The company informed the approximate 100 autonomous vehicle operators that they were being terminated because they were eliminating the position. The company confirmed to Quartz that it plans to replace the jobs with about 55 “mission specialists,” who are trained in both on-road and more advanced test-track operations and expected to provide more technical feedback to self-driving car developers.

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Uber suspended driverless-car testing at its four sites in Pittsburgh, Tempe, Ariz., Toronto, and San Francisco after one of its vehicles, which was in autonomous mode at the time, struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe on March 18.


Related: Uber CEO Suggests Autonomous Vehicle Partnership with Waymo

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

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