KENNER, La. (WVUE) – Waymo is testing its autonomous vehicles in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, with a human still in the driver\u2019s seat while the company works toward fully autonomous operation.<\/p>\n
Jefferson Parish Council member Arita Bohannan recorded video of one of the vehicles navigating a Kenner neighborhood after spotting it on the street.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing one of those mapping vehicles rolling down the street of my neighborhood is very exciting in a way,\u201d Bohannan said. \u201cIt\u2019s a hint at what\u2019s coming in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be exciting for any company that chooses our region to invest in,\u201d Bohannan said. \u201cI think that if it can work on the streets of Orleans and Jefferson Parish, it could work anywhere, right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Safety concerns from residents<\/p>\n
Some drivers expressed concern about how the vehicles will handle construction zones and potholes.<\/p>\n
Kenner resident Claudia Wilson said she is not convinced the technology can respond quickly enough in difficult situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s some situations where us as humans are in the vehicle and it takes some serious reaction time,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI don\u2019t believe these vehicles are capable of such reactions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Metairie resident Patrick Smith said driverless cars concern him, but he remains open to trying one.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I would be open to the idea,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI love technology so this is exciting to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
City and regional oversight<\/p>\n
The New Orleans City Council\u2019s Transportation Committee recently discussed the ride-share service\u2019s future in the city<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n Louisiana currently regulates only commercial autonomous vehicles.<\/p>\n Ashley Becnel, an attorney for the City of New Orleans, outlined the city\u2019s priorities for oversight.<\/p>\n \u201cOur main goals would be to ensure that adequate safety controls exist to protect passengers and other citizens using the public right-of-way,\u201d Becnel said. \u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Bohannan said she wants Jefferson and Orleans parishes to take a regional approach to legislation.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is more than just the excitement of the new company, we have to take into consideration how it will impact everyone else,\u201d Bohannan said. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean that we stop the progress at all, but it\u2019s something we have to consider on the regulatory side what that looks like locally.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here<\/a> to report it. Please include the headline.<\/p>\n