Google offers ultimate job for the lazy

Arizona couch potatoes can apply for the ultimate job for the perennially un-motivated.

Google is paying US$20 for people to sit in its driverless ‘cars’ as they trundle back and forth to various predetermined destinations.

It isn’t totally engagement free – as part of the agreement for Google to test its autonomous fleet on public roads, there must be someone to take control should the vehicle have a ‘HAL 9000’ moment.

“Test drivers play an important role in developing our self-driving technology,” Brian Torcellini, head of operations for the internet giant’s autonomous car programme told The Arizona Republic newspaper.

“They give our engineers feedback about how our cars are driving and interacting with others on the road, and can take control of the vehicle if needed.”

If sitting waiting to take control of a car that probably won’t need it sounds a bit too labour intensive, the company want workers to ‘work’ in pairs. One to intervene if its gets a bit scary, the other to take notes on how the car performs, and how it interacts with other traffic on the road.

The contracts on offer are either 12 or 24-months long, and all the lucky candidates need are a bit of knowledge of Phoenix-area roads, a good driving record – although a well-padded posterior may be a bonus.