Hong Kong gives green light to test driverless cars on mega bridge, in Kai Tak

Driverless vehicles will operate on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and in Kai Tak in November after transport authorities issued two more licences.

The Transport Department said on Thursday that Baidu Apollo International and the Airport Authority were the latest companies authorised to pilot autonomous vehicles on designated routes from November 7 under the Road Traffic Regulation. The pilot licences are valid for five years.

Baidu Apollo International, which already obtained two licences to operate driverless vehicles in North Lantau and Southern district, was approved to test 10 vehicles in East Kowloon.

In the first phase of road tests, a total of six autonomous private cars will operate simultaneously at a specified time in Kowloon City and Kwun Tong districts from “Runway 1331”, a youth hostel and cultural hub that opened in September, to Kai Tak station.

A backup operator will be stationed in the vehicle during the trial to take over control when necessary.

A department spokesman said that the company’s first project in North Lantau had made significant progress since its launch at the end of 2024.