TD issues pilot licence for autonomous vehicles to approve cross-district trial in Kowloon East
The Transport Department (TD) announced today (October 30) that a pilot licence for autonomous vehicles (AVs) has been issued to approve routes for cross-district AV trial in Kowloon East, in accordance with section 4(1) of the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA).
The applicant has been approved to conduct trials for 10 AVs on specified road sections in the vicinity of the Kai Tak Development Area and Kowloon Bay. In the first phase of road tests, a total of six autonomous private cars will operate simultaneously at a specified time in Kowloon City District and Kwun Tong District from "Runway 1331" (a Youth Post hostel project) to MTR Kai Tak Station. The routes cover Shing Fung Road, Shing Kai Road, Muk On Street, Kai Shing Street, Kai Wah Street, Wang Kwong Road, Kai Shun Road, Wang Chiu Road, Kai Cheung Road, Sheung Yuet Road, Sheung Yee Road, Concorde Road and Muk Yuen Street. During the trial, a backup operator will be stationed in the vehicle at all times to take over control when necessary.
A spokesman for the TD said that the first AV trial project in Hong Kong in North Lantau has made significant progress since its launch at end-2024. With continuous monitoring and active facilitation by the TD, it has achieved four notable technical advancements, namely the simultaneous operation of multiple vehicles, passenger-carrying trials, expanded routes and increased vehicle speeds. The TD also approved the applicant in June and August 2025 to conduct road tests in Tung Chung and Cyberport in Southern District respectively. The projects have largely been smooth to date, and the performance of the AVs has remained stable. This pilot project spanning Kowloon City and Kwun Tong Districts, encompassing the Kai Tak Development Area, will provide more trial data for the performance assessment of more different road scenarios in cross-district operations.
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. Upon receipt of an application, the TD will consider various factors, including the design operating range and functions of the autonomous system, relevant national or international standards/guidelines, and the road test situations, based on the Code of Practice for Trial and Pilot Use of Autonomous Vehicles before approval. Among them, the TD has been accepting submissions of the Guobiao (GB) to substantiate that the vehicles or their components comply with the relevant technical requirements and vehicle construction standards. In addition, the operation experience and performance of AV in areas outside Hong Kong (including the Mainland), such as test reports in accordance with the GB, will be taken into consideration by the TD in evaluating the performance of the vehicle automation.
The Policy Address 2025 set out the promotion of AVs. The Government will continue to facilitate the industry to conduct AV trials and applications across various communities, aiming to accelerate progress towards driverless and large-scale development. The Government also aspires to achieve commercial operation, encouraging the industry to leverage Hong Kong as a platform to explore overseas markets, particularly those with right-hand drive systems. Driving and road safety remain the top priority, and the Government will draw on practical experience to refine technical standards, share research findings with the industry in a timely manner, and implement these initiatives in a prudent and orderly process.
Source: AI-found images
