Wanted: Drivers for self-driving cars
Want to get behind the wheel of a self-driving car?
Aurora Innovation, a self-driving car company started by top engineers from Google, Tesla and Uber, has posted a job opening for a self-driving vehicle operator in Pittsburgh.
The job posting is the latest sign that the quiet startup plans to put self-driving cars on Pittsburgh streets soon.
"Do you have a passion for driving? An obsession with safety? Enjoy the thrill of being on the front lines, testing revolutionary technology?" the ad reads. "Every day, our vehicle operators experience the myriad advancements that bring us closer to fully autonomous vehicles. Apply your passion to help train our algorithms and bring self-driving technology to market."
The Aurora job pays $25 an hour, according to the post. The job, like other self-driving vehicle operator openings in the city, does not require an extensive background in robotics, artificial intelligence or engineering.
Even though the cars have the technology to drive themselves, Pennslyvania law requires all cars to have a licensed driver behind the wheel.
Aurora isn't the only company hiring people to sit behind the steering wheel of a self-driving car and monitor it as it cruises through the city. Uber has been hiring Development Vehicle Operators since it started testing its fleet more than a year ago. Delphi, which announced last week it is adding 100 jobs to its Pittsburgh operations , is looking for people to drive or operate autonomous vehicles for four to six hours a day, according to a job post . Argo AI, a Pittsburgh-based self-driving startup in which Ford pledged to invest $1 billion in over five years, also has openings for self-driving vehicle operators .
"Vehicle operators will learn about the underlying technology of our vehicles and provide detailed feedback to our engineering team on how our vehicles are performing in the form of test and driving reports," Argo's ad states.
Argo does have Ford Fusion Hybrid sedans equipped with self-driving technology on road in Pittsburgh and Dearborn, Mich., Ford spokesman Alan Hall wrote in an email. The cars aren't driving themselves yet but are instead being driven around to development mapping and sensor technology.
Brian Kennedy, Senior Vice President, Operations & Strategic Programs, snapped a photo of an Argo AI car near the Ross Park Mall and tweeted it.
First sighting of @argoai_llc autonomous vehicle in the North Hills of Pittsburgh @pghtech pic.twitter.com/nFREw0yEJj
" Brian Kennedy (@PghBKennedy) September 6, 2017
NextDroid, a stealthy self-driving car startup whose car was spotted in Pittsburgh in June , has job openings posted for Boston but none for Pittsburgh.
PS: Aurora is also hiring superstars in Pittsburgh and Palo Alto, Calif. If that sounds like you, let them know.
Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at aaupperlee@tribweb.com, 412-336-8448 or via Twitter @tinynotebook.
