Where do autonomous vehicles go on my property, and what if they stop outside the designated zone?

Context

You've noticed an autonomous vehicle stopping somewhere other than the Autolane zone, such as a hotel valet lane, a loading dock, or an unrelated curbside area. You want to understand why and what to do about it.

Answer

Autolane zones tell autonomous vehicles where to stop for designated pickups and drop-offs. However, AVs can also stop at other locations on your property that are independently mapped by the AV operator.

How AV routing works:

1. Autolane provides GPS coordinates for each designated zone to AV operators (Waymo, Tesla, etc.). These coordinates tell the AV exactly where to pull up for Autolane-managed pickups and deliveries.

2. AV operators also independently map properties using their own systems. Any location a Waymo vehicle has physically driven through and scanned, for example, becomes a valid destination in their routing.

3. If a passenger requests a ride to a specific business on your property, such as a hotel, the AV may route to that business's mapped location rather than the Autolane zone.

What to do if an AV stops somewhere unexpected or causes an issue:

1. Approach the situation with curiosity, not alarm. Most AV stops outside zones are normal passenger-requested behavior.

2. Note the location, time, and any details about what happened.

3. If there's a complaint or operational concern, contact Autolane at support@goautolane.com. Autolane has a direct pipeline to AV operators and can investigate.

4. If an AV is blocking a fire lane, valet lane, or emergency access, contact the AV operator's support line directly as well. Waymo has an in-app and phone support channel for these situations.

Can you add more zones? Yes. If you identify a location on your property that would benefit from a designated AV zone (for example, the hotel entrance), Autolane can evaluate and install additional zones. Contact your Autolane representative to discuss.