Louisiana's Department of Transportation will begin studying self-driving cars this year, with its results to be presented during the 2016 legislative session.

Democratic New Orleans Rep. Walt Leger said he wrote House Resolution 133 to identify the need for laws regulating autonomous vehicles, while also attracting vehicle-makers to the state for test runs.

This offers tremendous opportunities for improving road safety.

"My hope would be that they could partner with our local universities," Leger said. "We all know that we have a growing technology sector, both in New Orleans and Baton Rouge — and around the state. And my hope would be that we could attract some more folks to come into the state and pursue this sort of research and development and technology, also."

Leger's resolution purports driver error causes more than 90 percent of accidents, and self-driving cars may reduce wrecks and fatalities.

"You will be able to get in a vehicle, push a button, tell the car where you want it to go, and it will take you there," Leger said. "And this offers tremendous opportunities for improving road safety, as well as helping those that can't drive themselves, currently, to get to and from where they need to go."

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