Autonomous vehicle firms raise engineer salaries to $300–500k amid talent war Companies are drastically raising base salaries for autonomous driving engineers, signaling a heated competition that could reshape talent flows and industry funding. As informed by Techcrunch TechCrunch Mobility is unfolding new battles for talent in the autonomous vehicle space. According to sources, base salaries for engineers working on self-driving solutions now range from $300k to $500k per year (excluding stock and other benefits), as companies compete for talent and try not to lose them to the defense and physical AI sectors. Talent acquisition and salaries: what’s happening “Like a knife fight” – founder of an autonomous trucking company Physical AI is centered around robotics and defense technologies. Companies are looking for people with a unique blend of skills: the ability to integrate artificial intelligence into hardware systems, from humanoid and industrial robots to autonomous forklifts and equipment for construction, mining, and agriculture. That is why demand for specialists in autonomous trucks and robotaxi is rising. “We are certainly working on several truly interesting ideas” – Jiten Bhhel Impact on the industry and competitive landscape When these talents move to defense projects or other sectors, automakers and startups are forced to raise compensation or risk losing talent to high-paying roles in Physical AI. Defense startups, according to sources, offer the most generous terms thanks to the open budget of the U.S. Department of Defense. Demand for roles for applied researchers or engineers supporting AI is currently very active. Overall, this does not harm Waymo, though there is not a strong pressure on it. However, startups and automakers that have already invested heavily in autonomous driving are likely to face a need to increase funding or use existing funds more efficiently. As a result, the market is expected to see changes