Hong Kong to accept commercial autonomous-vehicle applications; air-rail AV link to launch in 2027

The Transport Department announced on 28 September that it will open applications this year for companies wishing to operate autonomous-vehicle (AV) projects on Hong Kong’s roads. Commissioner for Transport Winnie Tse said the move aligns with targets in the city’s First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address to accelerate intelligent-mobility solutions. The decision follows successful driverless trials on Airport Island in July and at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port automated car park in mid-September. Under the forthcoming scheme, operators can apply for renewable permits outlining geofenced routes, safety drivers and data-sharing requirements. Insurance industry sources say third-party liability cover for AVs could run 25 per cent higher than for conventional fleets until actuarial loss data stabilise. At the same meeting of the Autonomous Vehicle Applications Promotion Working Group, the MTR Corporation and Airport Authority unveiled details of an ‘Air-Rail Intermodal Service’. The driverless electric shuttle will whisk passengers between the West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus and Airport Express Kowloon Station, cutting transfer times to 8 minutes when it launches in Q2 2027. For global mobility teams, the prospect of driverless corporate shuttles is significant. “If the West Kowloon–Airport AV link proves reliable, we can route transferees arriving by high-speed rail directly to check-in counters without a change of mode,” said Peter Ng, regional relocation director at a multinational logistics firm. Ng noted that door-to-door transfer times are critical for senior executives who land in the morning and head straight to client meetings. Multinationals eyeing in-house AV pilots should prepare compliance roadmaps covering cybersecurity, incident reporting and real-time vehicle monitoring. The Transport Department plans to publish technical guidelines in November, after which applications will be assessed by an expert panel that includes the Police and the Insurance Authority.