Autonomous vehicle tests expand to Airportcity Link

Airport Authority Hong Kong has been granted a pilot license to operate autonomous vehicles along the Airportcity Link, a major corridor connecting the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port and SkyCity near the airport.

The license, issued by the Transport Department, will take effect on November 7 and remain valid for five years. The trial will involve seven autonomous public light buses, marking one of the most ambitious steps yet in the city’s push toward smart mobility.

According to a government statement released yesterday, the buses will shuttle passengers between the two locations under close supervision.

During the initial phase, a safety operator will be stationed inside each vehicle to assume manual control if necessary. All vehicles participating in the trial will carry a TD-issued label to ensure they are easily identifiable to other road users.

The department also announced that it has issued a separate pilot license to Baidu Apollo International, the Hong Kong-registered subsidiary of Chinese technology giant Baidu.

The license allows the company to conduct road tests for 10 autonomous vehicles in designated areas of the Kai Tak Development and Kowloon Bay.

This expansion marks the fourth time Baidu’s autonomous driving platform has broadened its testing footprint in Hong Kong. Earlier this year, the company extended trials to the airport island in April, Tung Chung in June, and the Southern District of Hong Kong Island in August.

A department spokesperson said the city’s autonomous driving trials have made significant progress since they began in late 2024 at North Lantau.

The program has advanced from single-vehicle demonstrations to simultaneous multi-vehicle operations, passenger-carrying tests, expanded routes, and higher operating speeds.

Experts noted that the ability to conduct cross-district trials represents a rapid step forward for Hong Kong’s autonomous driving sector. They cautioned, however, that successful deployment will require integration with vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems. In particular, the use of smart roadside devices could help transmit signals to improve reception and coordination in specific districts.