Hong Kong International Airport will modify the decision-making algorithms of its autonomous buses following a low-speed collision between two driverless staff vehicles on Sunday.
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Airport Authority concluded the incident revealed opportunities to improve how self-driving vehicles navigate intersections.
Airport Operations Executive Director Steven Yiu Siu-chung confirmed the buses' safety systems had functioned properly during the incident, with the vehicles coming to a near-complete stop just 0.3 seconds apart.
He explained that while the braking mechanisms performed as intended, there were areas where the algorithms governing vehicle interactions at junctions could be enhanced.
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Incident details
The collision occurred when two autonomous buses arrived simultaneously at a T-junction within a restricted area, with one approaching from a main road and the other from a side road.
After the main road vehicle paused for over three seconds, the second bus misinterpreted this as the vehicle being stationary before proceeding forward.
The minor collision happened at just 2.2 km/h—slower than walking speed—resulting only in superficial damage with no parts needing replacement.
Planned system upgrades
The algorithmic improvements will focus on reducing approach speeds at intersections and extending the buffer time for braking maneuvers. Engineers will also enhance vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocols to better coordinate movements at crossings. These adjustments are expected to be completed within one to two weeks.
Yiu noted that the airport operates three driverless bus routes, with Route 1 having already resumed service. Routes 2 and 3 are expected to gradually return to operation over the next two to four weeks after completing necessary tests.
