Tesla Launches NYC AV Tests, Hires Drivers for Data

Tesla is expanding its autonomous vehicle testing to New York City, signaling potential growth in its robotaxi ride-hailing services amid increasing competition and regulatory challenges. The company recently posted a job opening for a full-time driver to test its autonomous technology in Queens, requiring up to eight hours of daily data collection and offering pay exceeding US$30 per hour.

This initiative follows Tesla’s limited driverless taxi launch in Austin earlier this year and ongoing operations in San Francisco, where human safety monitors accompany rides. The company also plans to extend autonomous ride-hailing to Nevada and Arizona, viewing its robotaxi service as a key long-term growth driver amid slowing electric vehicle sales.

According to Tesla’s job listing, the driver will work with prototype vehicles and assist in gathering data critical for refining Tesla’s autonomous systems. This data collection is a standard step toward fully driverless operations.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has emphasized autonomous technology and artificial intelligence as strategic growth areas. Industry observers are closely monitoring Tesla’s progress to gauge how quickly its robotaxi network might scale.

Tesla’s expansion into New York places it in direct competition with Waymo, Alphabet’s driverless taxi division, which began collecting data with manually operated vehicles in the city last month. Both companies operate within New York’s regulatory framework, which requires a safety operator to be present during testing.

In its quarterly regulatory filings, Tesla noted that scaling robotaxi services could impact dealer sales, service operations, and potential partnerships, reflecting the broader disruption autonomous vehicles may bring to the transportation ecosystem.

“The expansion of our robotaxi service aims to address urban ride-hailing demand while ensuring compliance with local safety requirements,” a Tesla spokesperson said.