Curious about the team that expertly integrates the delicate technology behind our vehicles and constructs Vay’s Remote Driving Stations? Meet three of our Vehicle Technicians: Ian, Alex, and Nikko.
What is a Vehicle Technician? What’s their job at Vay?
All: A Vehicle Technician is someone who integrates Vay technology into our cars, diagnoses, repairs all issues, and constructs our Remote Driving Stations.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Nikko: Our day starts with an early morning meeting, our “stand-up”, where we check the list of cars that need to be worked on for the day and diagnose what exactly needs to be done with the vehicles. From there, we bring the vehicles in the garage and begin working. From regular maintenance to diagnostic work, we cover it all, and we do it as fast as possible so we can return the car to normal operation.
What kind of training or certifications do you need to be a Vehicle Technician?
Alex: Having an automotive trade school certification is essential. At Vay, Vehicle Technicians have the opportunity to work both on a car and on computer systems. Having some knowledge of systems like Linux is also very useful for what we do.
Nikko: Hands-on training is very important, as well as being open to learning from others and building your own skill set.
What is the process for working on a Vay vehicle?
Alex: We get assigned a vehicle by one of our managers, based on priority. Priority is usually what will keep the vehicle from functioning well. So, a flat tire, for example, is a high priority because it keeps the vehicle from normal operation.
Ian and Nikko: After priority has been assigned, bring the car into our garage and diagnose the problem. If we need to, we work with the engineering team to figure out what needs to be done.
What is something that makes our vehicles and technology unique?
Alex: A common misconception is that people think our cars are entirely self-driven, but instead, they are remotely driven.
Nikko: Learning about the Vay harnesses and the computer systems to get our cars driving on the streets from our Remote Driving Center is unique. We really do have to build the technology from the ground up.
Ian: Our vehicle’s safety fallbacks are very clever, as well as the technology used for connectivity. For example, if a vehicle loses connectivity, it enters a state where the vehicle slowly begins applying brakes while waiting for connectivity to be restored.
What is your favorite part of a Vay vehicle to work on?
Alex: I personally like the Re-C-U. This is an interface module device that allows the Vay components to talk to the car itself and vice versa. It’s the bridge between all of our different systems.
Nikko: I would have to say putting together the harnesses in the vehicle! Harnesses are a series of wires that go into connectors that plug into each other. It sends information to different parts of the vehicle. Putting together all the connectors in the vehicle and understanding the many ways to route them is very fun.
What’s something that is surprising about being a Vehicle Technician?
Ian: There is a surprising amount of variety in work and fluctuating difficulty when finding solutions to problems.
Alex: One of the things I’ve learned is that we have to be extremely resourceful. Sometimes, “no” is not an answer in our job, and we have to figure out how to make the right tool or how to find it. We have to make it happen.
Nikko: It’s new every day. You run into different challenges that you would have never thought of every single day.
Are there any unique challenges working with remotely driven vehicles?
Ian: There are a lot of interconnected systems, all of which need to be in perfect condition for our platform to function properly. This can be extremely challenging to diagnose and repair.
Alex: If you’re working on cars, everyone knows you have to be cautious. But with remotely driven cars, you have to be extra cautious and careful. We make sure that all the software and hardware are functional, double and triple-checking them. Also, we are always evolving. The parts we are using now in our vehicles are not the same as they were even six months ago due to the rapidly evolving technology.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Ian: My colleagues are incredibly talented in their field, which always pushes me to be better at my responsibilities and improve my skills.
Alex: I really enjoy the unpredictability of it. Every day offers me a new challenge, and I am always kept on my toes, so I’m never bored being a technician!
Nikko: Working with an amazing team. My managers are awesome, and I really enjoy working with my fellow technicians, because everyone is super helpful. I love coming into work and working with such an easygoing group. If I ever get stuck on something or lost, I can count on my team to get me back on track.
