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Hong Kong expands trial of fully driverless vehicles to Airport Island
The Transport Department said the updates let humans be removed from the car entirely, while remote monitoring continues.
Hong Kong has approved an expanded trial scheme for fully driverless autonomous vehicles, with testing planned on Airport Island without a person in the car as a backup, according to SCMP Economy. The Transport Department said the autonomous vehicle tests have been ideal, safe and operating smoothly, quoting Transport Commissioner Winnie Tse Wing-yee.
Previously, trials on Airport Island since February required a person to be inside the vehicle, alongside a remote operator monitoring the journey from a control centre. Under the latest arrangement, the vehicle can run without any occupants while remaining remotely monitored.
SCMP Economy also reported that Chinese technology giant Baidu received Hong Kong’s first pilot licence for autonomous vehicles in November 2024. The new expansion follows the department’s conclusion that earlier remote-operation tests supported moving to a fully driverless setup.