Transport Department approves route expansion for autonomous vehicles pilot licence trials in North Lantau
The Transport Department (TD) announced today (June 18) that a pilot licence for autonomous vehicles (AVs) has been updated in accordance with section 20(3)(b) of the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA) to expand the routes for AV trials in North Lantau.
The applicant has been approved to conduct trials for 10 AVs during a specified time on specified road sections in Tung Chung. Three autonomous private cars can be operated in each road test at most. The specified expanded routes cover Man Tung Road, Ying Hei Road, Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung Eastern Interchange, Yu Tung Road, Chung Yan Road, Shun Tung Road, Tung Chung Waterfront Road and Wai Tung Road.
A spokesman for the TD said that the North Lantau project, which commenced in December 2024, has made significant progress to date. The TD has expedited ongoing monitoring, proactively taken forward the project and granted approval under the new AV regulatory framework, achieving several technical advancements within months. They included scaling up the trials from a single vehicle to 10 vehicles operating simultaneously to collect multi-vehicle data, conducting designated passenger-carrying trials on specific routes after safety assessment, expanding the trial scope to roads with more complex traffic scenarios, and increasing the maximum speed limit to 50 km/h based on the trial route. This updated pilot licence further expands the trial routes, so that more useful data can be collected to evaluate AV performance in more different road conditions and communities.
The TD's label for pilot AV shall be displayed on all pilot AVs for identification by other road users. Details of the pilot licence have been uploaded to the TD's website on AV trials.
The TD welcomes interested organisations or enterprises to submit applications for a pilot licence and act in concert to promote the further development of autonomous driving in Hong Kong. Upon receipt of an application, the TD will consider various factors, including the design operating range and functions of the autonomous system submitted by the applicant, relevant international or national standards/guidelines, and the road test situations, based on the Code of Practice for Trial and Pilot Use of Autonomous Vehicles before approval. The TD will exercise stringent control with a view to promoting AV trials and development in Hong Kong in a safe and orderly manner.
EPD participates in joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities)
In support of the National Event on the Environment Day 2026, and the Beautiful Hong Kong Green Fest launched on June 1, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) held the joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) in Hong Kong today (June 6). The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan; and the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, led a government volunteer team to conduct coastal cleanup activity at To Tau Wan, Wu Kai Sha, and also mobilised the community to carry out coastal cleanup activity across Hong Kong, demonstrating a territory-wide commitment to protecting the ocean and building "Beautiful Bays".
Speaking at the event, Mr Tse said that the Special Administrative Region Government has all along spared no effort in protecting the marine ecological environment. To align with the nation's comprehensive promotion of building a Beautiful China, the Government has actively taken forward the "Beautiful Bays" initiative, and Mirs Bay (Hong Kong Section) was honoured to be selected as a national "Outstanding Example of Beautiful Bays" at the end of 2025. In recent years, Hong Kong has also deepened regional cooperation with Guangdong Province and Shenzhen. In the monitoring of shoreline cleanliness, the Government has actively introduced smart technologies, such as drone monitoring and artificial intelligence image analysis, gradually moving forward to the goal of "clear water and clean beaches, thriving marine life, and harmonious coexistence between humans and the sea".
Mr Tse said, "To safeguard this beautiful ocean, it is not enough to solely rely on the Government's efforts, but rather on the concerted efforts from the entire society." He expressed his gratitude to the volunteers attending the activity and the volunteer groups participating in coastal cleaning at different coasts concurrently for their efforts to protect the ocean.
On the same day, a delegation led by the Deputy Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), Ms Fabia Tam; and the Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Vanessa Au, attended the launching ceremony for the joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) in Shenzhen.
The launching ceremony was guided by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), and co-organised by the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province, the Society Work Department of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, and the Center for Environmental Education and Communications of the MEE. During the ceremony, the Director-General of the Department of Publicity and Education of the MEE, Mr Pei Xiaofei, presented flags to the heads of the ecological environment departments from the participating coastal provinces (regions and municipalities). The heads then read the proposal of eco-environmental volunteer service campaign "united for blue seas and beautiful bays".
For event details of the Beautiful Hong Kong Green Fest, please visit www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/news_events/events/hk_green_fest_2026.html.
EPD participates in joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EPD participates in joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EPD participates in joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EPD participates in joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EPD participates in joint eco-environmental volunteer service campaign in coastal provinces (regions and municipalities) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
