Shirley Archibald

Meet Shirley

I have a very different career background from many of my colleagues at Wayve. I’ve worked in a local authority as a homelessness investigations officer and in roles supporting children and families. I’ve always enjoyed teaching and helping people, which carried me into a career as a driving instructor, specialising in teaching people with neurodiversities and learning difficulties.

In 2019, I was nominated for London’s Driving Instructor of the Year award, and Wayve approached me to join as an autonomous vehicle safety driver. I had never heard of self-driving technology and was sceptical at first. But the more I learned, the more intrigued I became about this unexpected opportunity.

Today, as an AV Safety Operator, I closely monitor how our autonomous vehicles perform during on-road testing. From the driver’s seat, I’m responsible for engaging and disengaging the vehicle from autonomous mode and responding to and reporting any potential faults. This real-world experience provides essential feedback to our engineering and safety teams. Having spent many hours on the road, I believe self-driving vehicles will make our roads much safer, and I’m driven to make this technology more accessible to all parts of society.

From a work point of view, I value the company’s dedication to maintaining an inclusive and nurturing culture. Despite never working in tech before, my input is actively encouraged, appreciated and acted upon. And then there are things like our healthy lunches and the more holistic experience of life at Wayve. You feel part of a team that cares not only about our progress but also about you and your health.