From Cruise Terminal to MegaBox: Details of Kowloon's driverless car test route unveiled

The government will soon begin testing autonomous vehicles in Kowloon East, with trial routes connecting Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to Kowloon Bay's MegaBox area and designated stopping points including the Youth Post and Zero Carbon Building, according to Kwun Tong District Council documents.

The pilot program is part of initiatives outlined in the latest policy address and is scheduled to launch between late this year and early next year. Testing will focus on parking performance at various locations without passenger transport initially.

To thoroughly evaluate the vehicles' performance under diverse traffic conditions, tests will be conducted during multiple time slots: Monday through Saturday from 1am to 5am, 10am to 4pm, and 8pm to 11pm, with Sunday operations extending from 8am to 10pm. The program will pause during major local events per police arrangements.

Each vehicle will be monitored by a backup operator in the driver's seat who can take immediate control if necessary, particularly in construction zones or unexpected situations. 

The Transport Department will coordinate testing adjustments around events at the Kai Tak Sports Park to avoid disrupting traffic management.

Lawmaker Frankie Ngan Man-yu welcomed the initiative, noting that Kowloon East serves as Hong Kong's smart city testing ground.

He emphasized that the non-passenger tests during non-peak hours would minimize public impact while collecting essential road data to enhance the safety and stability of autonomous driving technology.

The initial goal involves accumulating several thousand kilometers of driving data over three to six months, he said.

Ngan also stressed the importance of contingency planning for potential accidents and urged the government to outline long-term strategies for expanding autonomous vehicle research and potential commercial applications beyond the pilot phase.

(Marco Lam)