Waymo Launches New Orleans Pilot Program

Waymo, the autonomous-driving subsidiary of Alphabet, is expanding its presence in New Orleans, where it plans to conduct a pilot program with a fleet of self-driving vehicles, announced at Louisiana Economic Development Innovation Day. The program will include testing in the city's complex areas such as downtown and freeways, with human drivers present in the vehicles at all times to navigate New Orleans' unique road conditions. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to test Waymo's technology in more than 10 cities in 2025, starting with San Diego and Las Vegas. Although Waymo currently operates fully autonomous rides in cities like San Francisco and Phoenix, it does not yet plan to launch a rider program in New Orleans. The company has also announced partnerships to provide robotaxi services in cities like Atlanta and Austin starting in 2025.