Interview with MOIA-Safety Driver Nicholas
Nicholas talks about his tasks, training and overcoming the challenge of letting go of the wheel
The biggest difference between a regular car and an autonomous vehicle is the start. "The procedure in an autonomous vehicle is very complex – for a good reason", says Nicholas. He has been working as a driver at MOIA in Hamburg for four years and trained to be a Safety Driver last year. He has thus undergone an extensive process that qualifies him to "drive" an autonomous ridepooling vehicle. Among other things, he had to familiarise himself extensively with technology. This is because before the journey begins, the self-driving-system (SDS), lidar sensors and cameras, which keep an eye on the vehicle and everything that happens 360 degrees around it, are gradually ramped up.
In the interview, Nicholas explains what tasks he takes on as a Safety Driver in the vehicle, why a co-pilot is also needed on board and whether he finds it hard to let go of the wheel.
Hi Nicholas, why did you choose to become a Safety Driver at MOIA?
I've been a driver in Hamburg since 2019. I'm always interested in new things and was one of the first people to drive the barrier-free MOIAs at the beginning of 2023. Before that, I worked as a technical director in the theatre, among other things, but was no longer able to do the job for health reasons. However, my love of technology remained. And those were the reasons for me to work as a Safety Driver: The appeal of something new in combination with pioneering technology, for which the legal framework has been set in Europe already.
To become a Safety Driver at MOIA, applicants must go through an extensive process. How does this look like?
The process includes various theoretical and practical tests. Firstly, you must prove your ability to drive in a "normal" car. Then there is commentary driving, which means that you have to comment on everything you see while driving in the presence of a trainer - from no-stopping signs to cars and bicycles to pedestrians on the road. The aim is to test your attention in road traffic. Once you have mastered this, you move on to the theoretical part. As a Safety Driver, you need a high level of background knowledge about the vehicle and the technology involved in autonomous driving. In addition, safety-related knowledge is tested in a written test. Once you have successfully passed this, you will take the actual driving test.
In other words, only then will applicants be allowed to drive autonomous vehicles?
Exactly. Before that, a safety training session is held on a test track. As MOIA drivers, we drive through the city at a very leisurely pace and are trained to brake and start slowly. On the test site, the opposite applies: you drive at a fast pace, reverse slalom, forward slalom, braking maneuvers - and all within a specified time. The aim is to test your ability to react - because in dangerous situations with the AV, fractions of a second may count. This is a lot of fun but is strictly evaluated. Only then, we are allowed behind the wheel of the autonomous vehicle.
What was it like for you to drive the VW ID. Buzz AD for the first time?
It was exciting. First of all, I drove it on the test site and programmed routes before we started commentary driving. This was again about commenting on everything that could be seen 360 degrees around the vehicle. These journeys were first accompanied by an additional Safety Driver. Only then did I complete the entire training process as a Safety Driver. So far, a total of 14 drivers have been trained as Safety Drivers at MOIA.
Why is commentary driving so important as a Safety Driver?
Commentary driving is used to check whether the cameras and lidar sensors see and transmit everything to the computer that the driver also sees and passes on accordingly. If this is not the case, we must document these errors accordingly for the system. A high level of concentration is required from Safety Drivers.
Did you find it difficult to let go of the wheel?
As Safety Drivers, we can't take our hands off the wheel - even if the vehicle is travelling in autonomous mode. Because if something does happen, I must be able to react immediately. Autonomous mode ends immediately when I take over the steering wheel again, apply the brakes, or press the accelerator. Very high safety standards apply – we always have to check with our own eyes that everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seatbelt. However, that becomes routine. For me, it's a great feeling when the vehicle is travelling autonomously. I'm always impressed by how smoothly the technology works.
What does autonomous driving mean to you personally?
I'm curious about the technology and how it works. That's why I really wanted to be a Safety Driver from the very start. I also want to play an active role in shaping the transport revolution. MOIAs vision in this regard is to have several thousand autonomous shuttles on the streets of Hamburg in a few years. I hope that I can continue to help realise this vision until I retire.
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