NEW ORLEANS – Waymo, the self-driving car division of Alphabet Inc., will launch a pilot program in New Orleans during Mardi Gras starting on Feb. 17 running for approximately three weeks.
The goal of the pilot is to train Waymo’s driverless system to handle difficult road conditions and the timing of the trial to coincide with Mardi Gras is deliberate. New Orleans is already challenging, but Mardi Gras will set the bar even higher. The narrow New Orleans streets, huge crowds, and road closures will be the perfect testing ground for refining Waymo’s algorithms and operational protocols.
Waymo will use five or six electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles during the test, each using lidar, a detection system that uses laser light, radar, which uses radio waves, and cameras to maneuver quickly and appropriately.
Human drivers will also be in the vehicles during the test to serve as a safety backup while the vehicle’s autonomous systems collect data and adjust to New Orleans’ unique challenges. The tests will cover the CBD, French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny, Bywater, and the Lower Garden District.
Waymo is already providing driverless services in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. It was initially launched in San Francisco and Phoenix and when it started serving Los Angeles in Nov. 2024, there was a waiting list of around 300,000 people. Now it is available to anyone who downloads the app.
The fact that Waymo is already in operation in three major cities in the US means the vehicles being tested in New Orleans have millions of miles of data embedded into their autonomous driving algorithms. The plan is to extend testing to ten additional cities this year including Las Vegas and San Diego, with more cities added later in the year. Waymo will not be offering driver-less services to the public in New Orleans until testing and refining is fully completed.
Once Waymo does become available in New Orleans, it could have an enormous impact on the way people commute. Proponents cite the potential for reducing human error and even cutting traffic congestion, but the jury is still out on whether Waymo’s cars can handle New Orleans roads and unpredictable traffic.
New Orleans is one example of how self-driving car companies are testing their technology to prove that they can handle difficult conditions. If the test goes well, New Orleans might see self-driving taxis in the near future. It would also be quite an accomplishment for Waymo.
The announcement of the Waymo trial was made by Louisiana Economic Development (LED) at a pre-Super Bowl event at the Louisiana NOW Pavilion and is part of Louisiana’s broader push to position Louisiana as a premier destination for business and economic development.
