New Delhi: Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo has laid off more than 200 employees in a second round of layoffs. The company laid off 8 percent of its total workforce or 209 employees. A Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch that the layoffs, mostly in engineering roles, are “part of a broader organizational restructuring that follows a financially disciplined approach”.
Google’s parent company Alphabet recently laid off 12,000 employees and even 100 robots cleaning the cafeteria at its headquarters. Waymo recently announced plans to begin testing fully driverless vehicles in Los Angeles. The self-driving unit previously planned to launch its driverless ride pilot program in San Francisco. ,ALSO READ: Xiaomi 13 Pro 5G launched in India: Check out price, processor and other details,
The company received a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for its driverless pilot program, which allows autonomous vehicle (AV) companies to carry passengers in test AVs without a driver. ,Also Read: Latest FD Rates 2023: Check List Of Banks Offering Highest Returns On Fixed Deposits,
Waymo had received approval from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to charge for autonomous rides. The company has recently received investment from its parent company.
The Google spin-off had said its driverless vehicles were only available to employees but would soon grow to include members of the company’s “Trusted Testers” program.
For the uninitiated, in light of the recent layoffs and challenging macroeconomic environment, it looks like CEO Sundar Pichai will take a significant pay cut. Pichai revealed during a recent town hall meeting with Google employees that all positions beyond the “senior vice president” level would see a major reduction in their annual bonuses.