*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."
Simon Belsham, the CEO and co-founder of The Healing Company, joined Cheddar News to discuss the company's acquisition of Deepak Chopra's business.
Chipotle filed a lawsuit in California federal court against Sweetgreen over the salad chain's chicken burrito bowl, claiming infringement for using the word "chipotle" in the name.
The head of UBS has voiced confidence that the Swiss bank will succeed in a government-engineered takeover of hobbled rival Credit Suisse.
Jeep unveiled its 2024 Wrangler SUV, with more capabilities and updated technology.
Major crypto tokens, including Bitcoin, are trading higher.
Bed Bath & Beyond struck a deal with an investment management firm to get more product on the shelves in an effort to avoid bankruptcy.
Google revealed details of its new artificial intelligence supercomputer on Wednesday.
Demand for mortgages was down last week, even though rates inched lower for potential homebuyers.
Walmart told shareholders Wednesday that inflation is impacting the business. Now it is looking to add automation to offset hiring.
Bob Lee, a technology executive who created Cash App and was currently chief product officer of MobileCoin, has been fatally stabbed in San Francisco.
