New Orleans and Jefferson Parish Seek Unified Robotaxi Regulations to Pre-empt Driverless Vehicle Issues

Robotaxis could soon face strict local oversight as New Orleans and Jefferson Parish collaborate to standardize traffic regulations before companies roll out driverless fleets on area roads.

Officials discussed the proposed plans during a pair of committee meetings on Thursday, nola.com reported. City Council President JP Morrell and city staff suggested that working across parish lines would simplify rules and improve how they function.

Robotaxi companies like Waymo have tested vehicles in New Orleans with human drivers earlier this year, but autonomous vehicles have not yet launched driverless service in the city. Issues in other municipalities prompted local officials to draft regulations before fleets arrive.

“Since most traffic from taxicab-esque things is from the airport to everywhere else, having a unified framework across both parishes would be best suited for everyone,” Morrell said.

Officials work with New Orleans on regulatory rules

Discussions on creating a multi-parish regulatory framework remain preliminary. Jefferson Parish spokesperson Rachel Strassel said that the parish government has not yet drafted its own ordinance, though officials are working with New Orleans to develop consistent rules.

The draft ordinance introduced by Morrell last month represents New Orleans’ first attempt to regulate robotaxis. City officials are seeking to pre-empt problems that emerged with the arrival of ride-hailing platforms and short-term rental companies.

“If we must have these vehicles on our streets, we can and should learn from the mistakes we made failing to regulate Uber and Lyft when they entered the market here,” said Bob Danton, policy director for transit advocacy organization Ride New Orleans.

The proposed rules would treat for-hire autonomous vehicles as taxicab companies. Enactment would require registration, per-ride fees, insurance coverage, and on-call support. The framework would also provide public safety personnel with a mechanism to disable the vehicles while forbidding them from idling in residential areas or bike lanes.

Ashley Becnel, executive counsel for the City Council, explained during the council’s Transportation Committee meeting that the new rules would redefine “driver” to cover the entity owning or operating the autonomous for-hire vehicles.

Advocates and council members raise driving concerns

During Thursday's meetings, advocates, council members, and drivers raised several concerns about how autonomous vehicles will drive through older neighborhoods and interact with human drivers.

District E Councilmember Jason Hughes expressed skepticism about whether driverless cars can handle local driving culture. “I do have some pause on whether or not, when drivers are constantly blowing through stop signs and red lights — I was almost hit on the way here today — the ability of the autonomous vehicle to react,” Hughes said.

Maizy Stell, a pedicab operator of seven years, opposed allowing robotaxis in the French Quarter due to road closures, parades, second lines, and emergencies such as an underground explosion that knocked out power on July 4, nola.com reported.

“Robots can’t go to jail. Robots have no fear,” Stell said, adding that Google possesses infinite money so consequences do not matter.

Waymo has not commented on the ordinance and did not respond to requests for comment. Company representatives previously suggested the city lacks the legal authority to regulate autonomous vehicles.

State law dictates that autonomous commercial vehicles shall be governed exclusively by state rules, though whether that statute applies to robotaxis remains disputed. Morrell contends the limitation applies solely to autonomous semitrucks, pointing to a separate state law allowing cities to regulate taxicabs and other for-hire vehicles.

An attorney for the state transportation department agreed in correspondence reviewed by the Times-Picayune, stating agency experts do not believe the law covers robotaxis.

Tesla and Waymo vehicles appear on local streets

Other autonomous vehicle operators have also appeared on local streets. Metallic gold Tesla Robotaxis relying on camera-based navigation have been spotted, though both Waymo and Tesla vehicles have carried drivers on board and lack permits to pick up passengers.

Hughes said that speakers raised legitimate questions requiring further investigation and called for a company representative to address the committee directly. Waymo has expanded its operations to 16 cities this year, launching full service in San Diego, Tampa, and San Antonio since September, alongside early access in Denver and Las Vegas.

Rollouts in other cities have encountered operational hurdles. In San Diego, vehicles were stalled by high tides, while a Tampa vehicle drove into oncoming traffic after a football game. In Denver, an empty vehicle passed a road closed sign and drove through a farmers market.

Federal regulators are actively scrutinizing the technology. Waymo issued a recall for nearly 3,800 vehicles over software concerns regarding handling standing water, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing. The NHTSA also opened a recall query into nearly 2,900 Waymo vehicles following reports that cars continued illegally passing school buses with extended arms despite a purported software fix.

“I certainly have a lot of questions that I would like to ask,” Hughes said on Thursday.