Drivers are set to hit the fast lane for vehicle license renewals and cross-boundary driving permits as the Transport Department brings in Artificial Intelligence to speed up processing later this year.
Paving the way for automated approvals, the TD will launch the Easy Licence Application Approval project by the end of 2026. The AI system will automatically verify online vehicle license renewals and applications for both cross-boundary schemes, Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles.
Under the project, the proportion of automatic approval for online vehicle license renewals is expected to exceed 90 percent, slashing processing time from 10 working days to just one.
For cross-boundary driving permits, which involve more documents, automated approval is projected to top 50 percent, shortening manual processing time by 20 percent.
To crack down on bots in the online booking system for direct driving license issuance, the department also introduced an AI-enabled anti-bot solution and dynamic identification technology, successfully reducing maximum waiting times from about two hours to within 45 minutes.
The move is part of the department's effort to introduce an AI-driven initiative to achieve the goals of the Transport Strategy Blueprint and enhance service efficiency.
Meanwhile, a Real-time Adaptive Traffic Signal System (RTATSS) will be rolled out in phases at about 50 suitable signalized junctions across the territory.
Among them, the junction of Gloucester Road and Great George Street near Victoria Park in Causeway Bay will soon see the Smart Traffic Signal installed in the first quarter of 2027. The sensors will monitor real-time vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow, dynamically adjusting green light durations to reduce maximum pedestrian waiting time by 15 to 20 seconds.
Looking ahead, the department said it will continue to explore broader applications of AI and other technologies with the Digital Policy Office, aiming to optimize operational efficiency, reform traffic management, and deliver tangible benefits to the public.
