Even communities without gates need to prepare for autonomous and driverless vehicles.
While there may be no gate-access problem, driverless vehicles can still create issues involving where they stop, how long they wait, whether they block driveways or roadways, whether they enter restricted areas, and what happens when a vehicle cannot navigate the Community or becomes disabled.
This policy provides HOA boards with a practical framework for regulating autonomous vehicles on Association streets and common-area roadways.
The policy generally permits autonomous vehicles to use streets and roadways within the Community to the same general extent as comparable passenger transportation, delivery, and service vehicles, subject to the Association’s parking, traffic, safety, and common-area rules. It does not give autonomous vehicles any greater right of access, parking, stopping, or use than comparable human-operated vehicles.
The policy addresses:
- Resident responsibility for selecting safe pickup locations
- Pickup and drop-off restrictions
- Driveway and roadway obstruction
- Fire lanes and fire hydrants
- Emergency access
- Waiting for passengers
- Vehicles continuously circling the Community
- Designated autonomous vehicle pickup areas
- Private streets and restricted areas
- Parking restrictions
- Autonomous deliveries
- Vehicles unable to navigate the Community
- Immobilized or malfunctioning vehicles
- Physical interference
- Collision and property damage
- Compliance with Association traffic rules
- Limits on Association responsibility
- Reasonable accommodation
- Future administrative procedures
The policy permits an Association to establish designated pickup and drop-off areas when operational problems arise, including where necessary to improve traffic circulation, protect emergency access, reduce congestion, avoid narrow roadways, prevent driveway obstruction, or provide a location autonomous vehicles can more reliably identify.
It also addresses malfunctioning vehicles and advises against residents or Association personnel attempting to drive, push, disable, or otherwise physically interfere with an autonomous vehicle except in appropriate emergency circumstances.
Ideal For: HOAs with private streets, condominium communities, planned developments, townhome communities, and other residential associations without gated entrances.
