Who We Train to Become Test Specialists

Test Specialists come from all walks of life, but they need to pass our tests – and that’s before the training even begins. Our screening process is extraordinarily rigorous, and the washout rate is high.

Test Specialists Training Program

Our Test Specialist training program has two goals: train candidates to be the world’s safest manual drivers AND cross-train them in autonomous car testing. Training has three phases:

Phase 1: Manual Driving

This is basically Safe Driving 202, adding military precision and discipline. The correct seat, steering wheel and mirror positions are essential. When driving, mirrors must be checked at least every 30 seconds. Braking, acceleration, and turning can’t just adhere to the law — it has to be smooth, which is why we train candidates to pass the cup test.

Drive smoothly, and it will always look like this

Drive poorly and it will look like this

Candidates also learn the geography of each test city, local laws and driving habits, the details of the test cars, how to inspect them before and after a test drive, how to follow test routes, and how to gather data while in motion.

Phase 2: Closed Course Training

If the D.M.V. taught Safe Driving 303, it would look like this. Here our candidates learn advanced command and control of test cars in a safe environment. It begins with learning how to monitor the car in Autonomous Mode, then moves into learning how and when to retake Manual control.

In the right seat, candidates learn how to monitor our test vehicle from a laptop. The laptop relays information from the car to the candidate in the right seat, so that they can help maintain the vehicle’s safety and take note of anything important.

Vigilance is everything as candidates now face Fault Injection Testing — or FIT – meaning that our instructors have the ability to cause a car system to suffer a fault, such as releasing brake force or losing lateral control. The goal is for our candidates to experience worst case scenarios, and learn the skills to avoid those scenarios.

Reaction times are half of it; judgement is the other half. Scenarios range from brake failure to steering failure to losing control near dummies and other props that represent cyclists. These tests are only completed on a closed course.

Phase 2 ends with an Enhanced Driving Performance Assessment, which tests all of the skills learned from Phases 1 and 2 in a series of complex scenarios resembling an autocross.

Phase 3: Public Road Training

In Phase 3, candidates are paired with Specialist Trainers who guide them on routes of increasing difficulty until they can carry out all of their responsibilities. This includes maintaining car cleanliness and interacting with the public. Complete Phase 3 without any infractions, and candidates receive their Test Specialist Certification.

If at any time during this certification process a candidate displays subpar performance or disregards safe operations in any way, they are removed from the program. The role of a Test Specialist requires extreme focus and dedication to ensure every mile we test on the road is the safest mile we’ve ever driven.

Certification isn’t the end of training. It’s just the end of the beginning.