Report: Autonomous Vehicle Jobs to Exceed 110k in U.S.

Autonomous vehicle deployment in the U.S. will lead to the creation of more than 114,000 jobs over the next 15 years to meet production, distribution, maintenance, upgrades and repair needs, a new report by a tech-industry policy coalition shows.

The report from Chamber of Progress, which refers to itself as “a center-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology’s progressive future, forecasts the number and types of jobs the AV industry will create.

The report states that up to 455,000 workers could be employed “in an optimistic scenario,” finding that for every 1,000 autonomous vehicles produced and deployed annually, roughly 190 workers will be needed for manufacturing and servicing these vehicles.

The report was developed by Steer, a consultancy that combines commercial, economic, technical, and planning expertise, and Fourth Economy, a national strategy firm focused on community and economic development.

The report found that AV-related jobs will be high-paying and accessible to workers without a college degree, with 82% of AV workers overall and 59% of those without a college degree earning more than the national median wage.

Other findings in the report include:

• In a moderate economic scenario, the report anticipates the deployment of 9 million autonomous vehicles over the next 15 years, with 114,000 jobs created.
• In an optimistic scenario, the report forecasts deployment of 36 million AVs deployed over the next 15 years with 455,000 jobs created.
• AVs can support the resiliency of the US auto industry where it is strong today and create new centers for AV-related jobs in places with strong tech sectors.
• To take advantage of AV economic and job opportunities, the US must encourage further technology development, increase capital investment, and establish a favorable regulatory framework.

Top photo: In this Jan. 16, 2019, file photo, Cruise AV, General Motor’s autonomous electric Bolt EV is displayed in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File).