Overview

• Tesla’s job listing for “Vehicle Operator, Autopilot” in Flushing calls for full-time drivers to spend five to eight hours daily collecting dynamic audio and video data.
• The roles pay between $25.25 and $30.60 per hour plus benefits and require candidates to manage recording devices, perform basic vehicle checks and submit detailed daily drive reports.
• New York state law requires a human operator behind the wheel for autonomous systems, yet Tesla has not applied for permits from the New York City Department of Transportation.
• The hiring push follows Tesla’s limited Austin robotaxi pilot and a new Texas permit for driverless operations but occurs as active NHTSA investigations and past safety recalls continue to constrain deployment.
• Tesla’s move into NYC data collection comes as competitor Waymo has applied for city test permits and CEO Elon Musk projects robotaxi service for half the U.S. population by year-end.