The driverless autonomous vehicle project on Airport Island officially commenced its fully driverless trials on July 27, marking a milestone in Hong Kong’s autonomous driving development.
Photo source: The Transport Department
For the first time, the trial vehicles operate without onboard backup operators. Instead, remote backup operators monitor and control the vehicles from a remote control centre. The Transport Department said the first day of trials ran largely smoothly, with vehicle performance remaining stable even during rainy conditions.
The department noted that the autonomous vehicles complied with all road safety rules, including sharing roads with other vehicles, yielding to pedestrians, and stopping at traffic signals. The Airport Island trial routes cover a range of road conditions, including roundabouts, junctions requiring right-of-way decisions, and varying traffic flows at different times of the day, helping to gather comprehensive data in preparation for scaled-up and commercial operations.
The Transport Department emphasised that safety remains the foremost consideration. The Code of Practice for Trial and Pilot Use of Autonomous Vehicles references both national and international safety standards. Operators have put in place comprehensive safety management and contingency plans covering vehicle safety, driving safety, road safety and cybersecurity, with proactive and ongoing risk identification and prevention measures.
The department also pointed out that operators are required to maintain valid third-party risk insurance for each autonomous vehicle, and all vehicles must be equipped with electronic data recorders to assist with investigations if needed.
Photo source: The Transport Department
To help other drivers and pedestrians easily identify driverless autonomous vehicles, the vehicles must display a Transport Department‑designated label, along with an additional purple label indicating that it is undergoing driverless testing.
The trial marks an important step in implementing the policy objectives of autonomous driving set out in the Policy Address and the Transport Strategy Blueprint. The Transport Department said it will closely monitor and conduct on‑site inspections of the remote‑controlled trials to ensure they meet all safety, stability and operational smoothness requirements.
