Gov’t advances commercial autonomous vehicle plans

Driverless AV trials have been conducted at two locations.

The Transport Department will open applications this year for autonomous vehicle (AV) operators to run individual commercial projects.

Commissioner for Transport Winnie Tse announced the move at the third meeting of the Autonomous Vehicle Applications Promotion Working Group.

Tse said Hong Kong’s AV development is guided by the First Five-Year Plan for Economic & Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Policy Address.

The department’s move follows driverless AV trials held on Airport Island in late July and at the automated carpark at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port in mid-September 2026.

It will also move forward with the Airportcity Link autonomous transport system, which will connect the HZMB Hong Kong Port and SKYCITY.

Meanwhile, the MTR Corporation and Airport Authority Hong Kong briefed the working group on the “Air-Rail Intermodal Service”, an AV connection between the Express Rail Link at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and the Airport Express at Kowloon Station.

The service is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2027 to make transfers between air and rail services easier for passengers.

Tse said AV use cases are expanding, with multi-modal transport links and cross-district trials progressing as planned.