Uber Eliminates 100 Positions, Some In Pittsburgh
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Uber laid off 100 self-driving car operators, some of which were based in Pittsburgh, the ride-share company confirmed to KDKA on Wednesday.
"Our team remains committed to building safe self-driving technology, and we look forward to returning to public roads in the coming months," Uber said in an email statement to KDKA.
Recent hiccups by autonomous vehicle companies, particularly a fatal crash in Tempe, Arizona, earlier this year, have thrown a wrench into the company's plans. After the crash, self-driving vehicles were pulled off the streets nationwide.
Uber held a meeting Wednesday to inform the people who monitor its self-driving cars that their positions have been eliminated.
Uber said it is actively working to make a return to the road in Pittsburgh this summer. There will be 55 new positions available for advanced operators, who will be trained on both on-road and test track operations, according to Uber.
Other non-driving roles for the displaced workers will also be available.
Uber said it remains focused on implementing the safety recommendations that came out of a recent internal safety review, which looked at everything from the safety to training processes for vehicle operators.
