Hong Kong will expedite its push into the autonomous driving sector, with plans to expand vehicle testing to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Port and the Kai Tak development area, the transport chief has said.
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Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Sunday three autonomous driving projects would enter the testing phase this year as announced in last week’s policy address.
Driverless vehicles would be trialled at SkyCity between the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Port and Airport Island and the Kai Tak development area covering Kowloon City and Kwun Tong, she said.
The third would be an extension of the current North Lantau project, connecting Airport Island and Tung Chung, Chan added.
She noted the government had already issued three pilot licences for self-driving vehicles, hailing the project in North Lantau for making rapid progress since its launch last year with key advancements, including operating multiple vehicles simultaneously, carrying passengers and expanding test routes while increasing speeds to 50km/h (31mph).
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“After implementing a new regulatory framework in March of last year, we have actively and methodically pushed forward with testing autonomous driving technology. We hope to develop Hong Kong into a platform that will be a favourable market for self-driving vehicles,” Chan told a press briefing.