The development of automated vehicles has fostered a lot of expectations as much in terms of technological breakthrough as in terms of financial speculation for automakers and “mobility providers”. Yet, the hype surrounding automation conceals the role of many human workers hired for subordinate and off-putting tasks which proved impossible to automate, be that for economical, technical or legal reasons. Rather than to the prowess of an “intelligent” car, VO focuses on the paradoxical status of vehicle operators, employees who monitor the training of cars which are ultimately meant to get rid of the human factor.

A deadly accident between a self-driving car and a pedestrian sets off an investigation about the role of human workers in the training of driverless cars. Testimonies from vehicle operators guide us through a night shift where the landscape merges with data from the car’s sensors.