New Research Shows Autonomous Vehicles Aren’t Just Lifesavers, They’re Job Creators Too
190 jobs will be created for every 1,000 AVs deployed
One of the concerns raised about autonomous vehicles is a fear that they will eliminate jobs.
Earlier this year, labor unions in California organized a rally in Los Angeles in support of tougher restrictions on AVs. Lindsay Dougherty, the Teamsters’ Vice President for the Western Region, summed up the concern, saying, “the ultimate fear of our members is losing [their] jobs.”
Job concerns undergird AV policy debates. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recently vetoed a bill that would have established a framework for the deployment of autonomous passenger vehicles. In California, a slew of bills have been introduced that would effectively delay or permanently freeze the deployment of passenger vehicles and autonomous trucks.
Concerns about autonomous vehicles’ impact on jobs are understandable. Any technology as transformational as AVs will force some shifts in the labor market.
But how many jobs, and what kind of jobs, will AVs create?
We wanted to find out, so we partnered with the analysis firm Steer to take a closer look. The study — which we released earlier this week, found that AVs have the potential to create hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs.
The study forecasts the jobs that could be created under three different deployment scenarios. On average, 190 jobs will be created for the production and maintenance of every 1,000 AVs deployed. As a result, in the moderate deployment scenario, more than 114,000 workers — and up to 455,000 workers in an optimistic scenario — will be employed over the next 15 years to meet AV production, distribution, maintenance, upgrades, and repair needs.
Even better, these jobs will pay well, and many will be accessible without a college degree. Steer estimates that 82% of workers in the AV industry today make more than minimum wage.
States poised to benefit
One of the more exciting takeaways for state lawmakers is the analysis of states that are best positioned to host AV jobs in the future. Because the deployment of autonomous vehicles will be gradual– Steer’s analysis is based on deployment rates over the next 15 years– the job transitions will also be gradual, giving lawmakers and workers time to adjust to new demand.
A number of states that already have strong STEM and automotive manufacturing workforces, two key ingredients for attracting investment from the AV industry, are well positioned to take over as the nation’s AV job leaders.
Training investments needed
Investments in STEM education and job reskilling programs in these states could transform them into the next hubs for American transportation jobs. Many of these states have already started making those investments. In Texas, Nuro partnered with San Jacinto College to create an autonomous vehicle technician certificate program. James Madison University in Virginia designed a course in which students build an autonomous vehicle. Other states looking to capitalize on the opportunities AVs present should follow their lead.
Of course, before they can attract the AV manufacturing and maintenance jobs of the future, states must approve the testing and deployment of these autonomous vehicles. 29 states have already enacted legislation related to the deployment of AVs. The remaining 21 should act quickly to ensure they aren’t left behind.
However, even among states like California that have approved AV deployment, opponents continue to try to block or slow down this technology. A patchwork approach to AV deployment will only slow down its development, denying Americans their lifesaving, job-creating benefits. We’ve called for the federal government to step in and pass a federal deployment framework as well as update vehicle manufacturing and safety regulations to reflect the requirements of autonomous vehicles.
As Steer’s analysis notes, AV technology is being developed and deployed across the world, not just in the United States. For the U.S. to remain a leader in automotive transportation, state and federal lawmakers must embrace autonomous vehicles.
The data on autonomous vehicles’ safety performance confirms that AVs will make our streets safer. This new groundbreaking research from Steer should reassure lawmakers that AVs will not eliminate jobs, and that future AV jobs will be good-paying and accessible.
Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a center-left tech industry association promoting technology’s progressive future. We work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological leaps, and that the tech industry operates responsibly and fairly.
Our work is supported by our corporate partners, but our partners do not sit on our board of directors and do not have a vote on or veto over our positions. We do not speak for individual partner companies and remain true to our stated principles even when our partners disagree.
