Hong Kong's transport authorities plan to permit autonomous vehicles on public roads this year, operating solely with remote backup operators, as part of the city's initiative to introduce autonomous driving technology.

Since 2024, the Transport Department has issued six autonomous vehicle pilot licences, allowing operators to conduct road tests in designated areas.

Currently, 62 autonomous private cars and light buses are undergoing trials at various locations.

Ken Tang Kin-leung, an electrical and mechanical engineer specialising in autonomous vehicles at the Transport Department, stated that road tests have proceeded as planned, with all vehicles maintaining stable performance.

The trials included tests on North Lantau Island, covering four areas: scaling operations from a single vehicle to 10 vehicles operating simultaneously; conducting designated passenger-carrying trials; expanding test areas; and operating at higher driving speeds.

"The trial routes for autonomous vehicles have expanded, progressing beyond Airport Island to more complex highways and different communities," Tang stated.

As the autonomous driving system has developed, vehicle speeds have been gradually increased to a maximum of 50 kilometres per hour, in accordance with the posted speed limits of the relevant test sections.

The department plans to progressively implement fully driverless operations, relying solely on remote backup operators, within the year.

Based on regular reports submitted by autonomous vehicle pilot operators, the department will review testing performance and safety, and will require operators to conduct vehicle inspections to ensure that trials are carried out safely and in an orderly manner.

An intelligent driving technology company, which obtained the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's first autonomous vehicle pilot licence in November 2024, has conducted tests on North Lantau, as well as at Cyberport and the Kai Tak Development Area. The company has collected data covering more than 80,000 kilometres of driving using vehicle-mounted sensors.

During the tests, a driver remained on board as a backup operator, intervening only when necessary. The vehicles have typically operated with the driver's hands off the wheel during routine travel.

Nick Lau, the company's Hong Kong project development manager, stated that the system has been adjusted to comply with local traffic regulations, given Hong Kong's complex road conditions.

"The system has been programmed for driving actions such as stopping, overtaking, and lane selection, allowing the vehicles to operate under right-hand traffic conditions," he further added, noting that machine-learning models will continue to be adjusted for operational accuracy.