KENNER, La. (WVUE) – Waymo is testing its autonomous vehicles in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, with a human still in the driver’s seat while the company works toward fully autonomous operation.
Jefferson Parish Council member Arita Bohannan recorded video of one of the vehicles navigating a Kenner neighborhood after spotting it on the street.
“Seeing one of those mapping vehicles rolling down the street of my neighborhood is very exciting in a way,” Bohannan said. “It’s a hint at what’s coming in the future.”
Bohannan said she has not ridden in one of the vehicles but hopes Waymo invests in Jefferson Parish. She acknowledged residents have mixed emotions about the technology.
“It would be exciting for any company that chooses our region to invest in,” Bohannan said. “I think that if it can work on the streets of Orleans and Jefferson Parish, it could work anywhere, right.”
Safety concerns from residents
Some drivers expressed concern about how the vehicles will handle construction zones and potholes.
Kenner resident Claudia Wilson said she is not convinced the technology can respond quickly enough in difficult situations.
“There’s some situations where us as humans are in the vehicle and it takes some serious reaction time,” Wilson said. “I don’t believe these vehicles are capable of such reactions.”
Metairie resident Patrick Smith said driverless cars concern him, but he remains open to trying one.
“I think I would be open to the idea,” Smith said. “I love technology so this is exciting to me.”
City and regional oversight
The New Orleans City Council’s Transportation Committee recently discussed the ride-share service’s future in the city. The city said Waymo is currently testing 12 vehicles in New Orleans and plans to begin autonomous testing in late 2026. The vehicles are restricted to specific mapped areas.
Louisiana currently regulates only commercial autonomous vehicles.
Ashley Becnel, an attorney for the City of New Orleans, outlined the city’s priorities for oversight.
“Our main goals would be to ensure that adequate safety controls exist to protect passengers and other citizens using the public right-of-way,” Becnel said. “This means both clear rules for the treatment of passengers to ensure their safety, but also, guardrails regarding liability toward other cars, cyclists, and pedestrians who also use these same streets.”
Bohannan said she wants Jefferson and Orleans parishes to take a regional approach to legislation.
“It is more than just the excitement of the new company, we have to take into consideration how it will impact everyone else,” Bohannan said. “That doesn’t mean that we stop the progress at all, but it’s something we have to consider on the regulatory side what that looks like locally.”
The City of New Orleans said licensed autonomous rides could begin in 2027. It is unclear when autonomous service might begin in Jefferson Parish. A Waymo spokesperson did not return a request for comment.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.