Criticism Without Clear Guidance:
During my employment, I was criticized for supposedly teaching the robot car "the wrong things." This was confusing because there was no clear guidance on what the right or wrong procedures were. How was I supposed to know what to teach the robot car when this is a brand new role?? that no one in the country has done before? The quality assurance team did not take into account the learning curve that came with this pioneering role. Instead, they had unrealistically high expectations, and I was penalized for things that were beyond my control.
In such an uncharted field, I believe more empathy and understanding should have been shown. Unfortunately, Wayve did not provide enough support or clarity, and they held me accountable for things I had little control over.
Challenging Working Conditions:
As a Vehicle Safety Operator, I was often driving in unfamiliar and complex areas, especially in London’s busy traffic. Even as an experienced driving instructor, navigating difficult routes, heavy traffic, and challenging junctions was stressful. Mistakes inevitably happened, but the quality assurance team treated every slip-up with the utmost seriousness.
This added to the overall pressure, as there was no room for error. The strict approach meant that, despite the high demands of the role, there was very little understanding of the challenging conditions we were operating under.
Following my termination after three months, I was left unemployed in a tough economy. Wayve did not consider the impact this sudden termination would have on my livelihood. Now, two months later, I am still dealing with the financial distress caused by losing my job unexpectedly. The company demonstrated very little empathy or understanding for the financial and emotional strain that comes with sudden job loss, especially after showing dedication and commitment to the role.
Second-Class Treatment as a VSO:
One of the most disheartening aspects of working at Wayve as a VSO was the feeling of being treated as a second-class citizen within the company. VSOs were placed in a smaller building away from the main headquarters, where the programming and leadership teams were based.
This created a significant divide between us and the rest of the company, If you're considering joining Wayve in another role, the experience might be different, but as a VSO.
Despite my efforts to address the challenges I faced, my contract was abruptly terminated after three months, citing breaches of the Driver’s Code of Conduct and road law. This decision was made without any retraining, warning, or opportunity to correct the issues. I was not given the chance to improve or demonstrate my capabilities, which is contrary to how other employees were treated.
Although I did witness some colleagues being promoted, the overall experience for VSOs was one of instability. Over my four months at Wayve, I saw nine other VSOs either leave or be terminated, which speaks to the high turnover in the role. While the company may promote employees in other departments, the prospects for career growth as a VSO seemed highly uncertain.
