{"id":2462,"date":"2022-03-29T14:53:04","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T14:53:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/03\/29\/russias-yandex-lays-off-two-dozen-us-based-workers-from-its-robot-and-self-driving-teams\/"},"modified":"2022-03-29T14:53:05","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T14:53:05","slug":"russias-yandex-lays-off-two-dozen-us-based-workers-from-its-robot-and-self-driving-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/03\/29\/russias-yandex-lays-off-two-dozen-us-based-workers-from-its-robot-and-self-driving-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia\u2019s Yandex lays off two dozen US-based workers from its robot and self-driving teams"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2022\/3\/29\/23000184\/yandex-layoff-michigan-autonomous-vehicle-robot-delivery<\/a>
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Yandex, the multi-billion dollar Russian tech company that\u2019s been operating a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in Ann Arbor, Michigan, laid off over two dozen US-based workers earlier this month, claiming that its vehicle licenses were suspended by Michigan\u2019s state regulators, The Verge<\/em> has learned. But Michigan says this just isn\u2019t true.<\/p>\n

In the days following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, Yandex paused its AV testing in Ann Arbor,<\/a> as well as its tests with six-wheeled delivery robots at several college campuses in Ohio and Arizona. But the pause was only supposed to be temporary \u2014 the company said it hoped to resume those operations at a later date. <\/p>\n

Yandex claims it was informed on March 9th that its vehicle licenses were suspended by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Six Ann Arbor-based safety drivers were laid off, the company confirmed. (Yandex employed about 15 people in the city, according to one former employee.) In addition, Yandex also laid off 21 workers in Arizona and Ohio who acted as on-the-ground support staff for the company\u2019s delivery robots. <\/p>\n

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