Uber, working to resume tests of its self-driving vehicles after a fatal accident earlier this year, is laying off test-vehicle operators as part of a broad overhaul of the program.
An Uber spokeswoman confirmed the elimination of operator positions in Pittsburgh, a key market for the ride-hailing company’s self-driving initiative, but some of those personnel may be moved to one of the 55 new “mission specialist” roles handling both on-road and test-track duties.
Uber hopes to resume tests of its autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh in the coming months and remains in discussion with California officials about testing in that state.
The shift in strategy comes as Congress debates a federal regulatory framework to govern the new technology. The House passed legislation earlier this year on the matter and is pressuring the Senate to advance that measure. The upper chamber is expected to try to pass its own bill, however, and key sponsors are still trying to address their colleagues’ concerns over the legislation.
“We’re working that every day to try to move it forward,” Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the top Democratic sponsor of the bill, told the Washington Examiner.
One of the key factors driving interest, Peters said, is ensuring that investment in the industry continues to grow.
“We know that our European competitors and Asian competitors are moving very aggressively in this area,” he said. “Whoever gets there first has a significant competitive advantage, so it’s incumbent on us in the United States to make sure that we have a regulatory framework that allows this technology to move as quickly as possible.”
An investigation into a March crash in Tempe, Ariz., involving one of Uber’s self-driving vehicles is ongoing. Police have said the human operator was watching a TV show on her cell phone before the vehicle struck and killed a 49-year old pedestrian.
In the aftermath, Uber said it was conducting a top-to-bottom review of its autonomous-driving program, and Republican Gov. Doug Ducey suspended trials in Arizona.
