*By Justin Chermol*
Uber is laying off more than 100 test drivers in its autonomous car division in Pittsburgh and San Francisco, replacing them with 55 highly-trained drivers known as "mission specialists".
It's an attempt by the ride-hailing company to prove it's serious about safety in its self-driving division after a fatal crash in Tempe, Ariz., last March.
But whether real progress has been made is another story.
"There's the public messaging and there is what is actually happening," said Mark Rechtin, Executive Editor at Motor Trend. "Uber is saying all the right things publicly, but the accident in Arizona has really set them back."
Uber initially suspended all testing of its autonomous driving program after a pedestrian was struck and killed on March 18, but restarted some tests earlier this month.
Former self-driving car operators are eligible to apply for the new roles, which must operate cars on both public roads and private tracks and are expected to give technical feedback to developers.
Rechtin is optimistic about the effort, but still raised concerns.
"We need to make sure whatever Uber does is something that is functional."
Eight people were hospitalized after severe turbulence on a Jetblue flight from Ecuador to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The writers strike could be a step closer to ending after leaders from the union are set to vote on a tentative deal.
President Joe Biden grabbed a bullhorn on the picket line Tuesday and urged striking auto workers to “stick with it” in an unparalleled show of support for organized labor by a modern president.
The confidence of American consumers slipped this month, particularly about the future, as expectations persist that interest rates will remain elevated for an extended period.
JPMorgan Chase agreed Tuesday to pay $75 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to settle claims that the bank enabled the sex trafficking acts committed by financier Jeffrey Epstein.
New research looks into the pros and cons of remote work from the employer's perspective.
A major Pfizer plant in North Carolina is restarting production after tornado damage in the summer.
Costco is offering members health checkups for as low as $29.
The House of Representatives is set to vote to advance four separate funding bills as a shutdown looms.
Eight people were hospitalized after severe turbulence on a Jetblue flight from Ecuador to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
