Waymo likely won't be operating an autonomous taxi service in New Orleans before 2027.

Why it matters: City Council leaders began public discussions last week that could lead to laws that would regulate driverless vehicles.

The big picture: Waymo is currently testing about 12 autonomous vehicles here, according to a City Council presentation. Each vehicle has a human driver during this phase.

• Waymo tested the roads last year and said it found the city "easy to navigate."
• City officials expect Waymo to begin testing driverless rides later this year.

The fine print: Waymo and other services like Amazon's Zoox and Tesla's Robotaxi would need New Orleans officials to change the law before they could operate as for-hire services.

• "Our laws really were enacted in a way that did not contemplate a driverless car," says Ashley Becnel, the executive counsel for City Council.
• City Council members expect to begin drafting a new ordinance to regulate robotaxis this fall, the presentation says.

Yes, but: They are already operating in places including Nashville, Miami, Phoenix and parts of California.

• The laws there focus on safety protocols and liability, according to Becnel's presentation.

Friction point: New Orleans' infrastructure is a concern.

• Mayor Helena Moreno is working on improving streetlights and street signs, but Councilmember Lesli Harris says the projects might not be done fast enough for Waymo.
• Harris also said she's worried about the extensive road construction.
• "I just have a concern that we aren't going to be up and ready as a city for autonomous vehicles in 2027 as far as our infrastructure," Harris said at Wednesday's committee meeting.

The other side: Waymo argues the technology could do more than transport passengers.

• The company says its vehicles can help identify potholes while mapping streets.
• Councilmember Eugene Green says he wants to be open to the technology because it could help residents who don't want to get in a vehicle with a stranger.

Behind the scenes: Waymo is here at the invitation of Josh Fleig, the chief innovation officer at Louisiana Economic Development.

• The goal, he told us last year, was to figure out what impact the company might have on local rideshare drivers.

What's next: Louisiana is also on the lookout for autonomous 18-wheelers, which are being used in Texas to haul freight.

Keep reading

The James Beard awards, often called the Oscars of the food world, will be announced tonight in Chicago. The local nominees are:

• Best chef in the South: Ana Castro (Acamaya) and Serigne Mbaye (Dakar NOLA)
• Outstanding restaurateur: Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski
• Emerging chef: E.J. Lagasse (Emeril's)

Zoom in: New Orleans writer Boyce Upholt won a media award over the weekend.

What's next: Follow our colleagues in Chicago tonight for coverage.

Teens today are drinking less than their parents did — but the trends that may be supercharging their sobriety aren't all positive.

The big picture: Researchers say there isn't one definitive reason for the shift. Some hypothesize it isn't solely a health kick, but that some teenagers have no one to say "cheers" with.

• The generation whose childhood was warped by a pandemic and the exponential acceleration in tech and social media is, perhaps unsurprisingly, isolated.

By the numbers: The long-standing decline in teen drinking began in the late '90s, according to the Monitoring the Future study, a University of Michigan project that has tracked young people's substance use for decades.

• The trend has only accelerated.
• According to the study, the share of students who drank in the past 12 months in 2025 was 41% in 12th graders (compared to 75% in 1997), 24% in 10th grade (compared to 65% in 1997), and just 11% in 8th grade (compared to 46% in 1997).

Reasons driving the change

🏈 The Saints wrapped up organized team activities last week, and columnist Rod Walker has key takeaways ahead of tomorrow's mandatory mini camp. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)

• The biggest question: Will Cam Jordan and Alvin Kamara be on the team this year?

🚧 The Sewerage & Water Board doesn't have the capacity to handle the communications, outreach and small business grants for the Decatur Street construction project, Mayor Helena Moreno says, so she's "going to step in and take it all over." (Facebook)

• At least three businesses on Decatur have closed.

🔮 Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican, says he's not ruling out a 2028 presidential run. (WWL Radio)

• ICYMI: Mitch Landrieu is testing the waters for the Democratic nomination. (CNN)
• Kamala Harris is expected to lay the groundwork for a potential 2028 bid during a visit to New Orleans in August. (Axios)

👀 Essence's former CEO, Caroline Wanga, filed a defamation lawsuit against the festival's parent company, accusing leadership of not "correcting the devastating public narrative" about last year's festival. (Statement)

• Essence says the allegations are "patently false." (Statement)

📸 Weekend recap photos/videos:

• Pride parade
• Pridefest
• Naked Bike Ride
• Jefferson Parish's America 250 celebration
• Pokémon North American International Championships
• Trader Joe's opening

👋 Carlie here. I judged the New Orleans Food & Wine Experience over the weekend.

• I tried dozens of dishes from the city's top restaurants, hotels and caterers.
• Restaurant August and Sodexo went home with top honors.

Between the lines: It's my third year to judge, and I love the creativity and excitement the chefs bring to their dishes.

• The best part of judging, IMO, is hearing how they come up with their entries.

The bottom line: We have so much culinary talent in New Orleans. The diners are the real winners.