Hong Kong accelerates self-driving vehicle trials with Tung Chung expansion

Hong Kong has taken a significant step towards autonomous driving services, as the government plans to extend trials to Tung Chung and increase the testing speed to 50km/h (31mph) within the next five months.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, also announced on Wednesday that there are plans to officially introduce passenger services and commercial applications, such as ride-hailing, within the next couple of years.

These trials became possible following the implementation of a new regulatory framework for self-driving vehicles last March. By the end of 2024, two pilot licences had been issued, allowing 12 vehicles operated by Baidu Apollo to conduct tests.

“The progress has been significant, achieving several technological leaps. The testing scale has expanded from a single private car to 10 vehicles operating simultaneously to gather data on multi-vehicle coordination,” Chan told lawmakers at a Legislative Council meeting.

She said that, following safety assessments, passenger trials had been conducted on specific routes, and testing would now take place on more complex roads. After trials on routes within the airport island, the government would extend the trials to Tung Chung and Cyberport in the Southern district.

Baidu Apollo submitted documents to the Islands District Council on Tuesday, proposing trial routes that would pass through several residential estates and public housing complexes in Tung Chung, including Fu Tung Estate and Yu Tung Court. Three autonomous vehicles will conduct testing between 1am and 5am, and again from 9am to 10am.