Google is looking for people skilled in driving and with good driving records, according to an ad post on job-hunting site Glassdoor. Specifically, the search giant is looking for “vehicle operators” for its self-driving cars.
Google wants “vehicle operators”
Google’s self-driving car drivers or “vehicle operators” will have to be on the road for approximately six to eight hours a day, five days a week. The requirements for this job include: a good driving record and the ability to keep a secret (not disclose confidential details to others).
Addeco Staffing has listed the 12-month position, which includes using high- and low-tech mediums to provide detailed feedback to the engineering team in addition to operating self-driving vehicles. The listing states that occasionally the applicants might have to manage up to four communication channels simultaneously. Also the applicants should not have issues with traveling as they might need to travel for up to one complete month, indicating the possibility of testing outside Google’s home area of Mountain View, Calif.
A small disadvantage with the job is that it would not turn you into a Googler as it is a short-term contract position. Another demerit is that that this job is not that exciting. Some who tried it say that the job is more tedious than a regular driving position.
Working hard to clear roadblocks in federal law
Meanwhile, the search giant is dropping hints that its self-driving technology, which has been in testing for several years on public roads, could be ready for early adopters sooner than people expect. Traditional automakers are also trying to develop the same technology, but they are not very aggressive about it.
Google wants its cars to be available to the general public as soon as possible, so it has asked Congress to make new laws to allow automated cars with no steering wheels or pedals in the market. Google’s proposal came in response to a U.S. Department of Transportation invitation for industry input on ways to speed up the release of the technology on public roads.
Chris Urmson, head of Google’s self-driving car project, floated the idea of a federal fast track for the technology in a letter sent March 11 to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. A company that sells vehicles which clear federal safety standards could receive permission from transportation regulators to sell them, reads Google’s proposed framework.
