Hong Kong needs to take a more cautious approach to implementing driverless technology, particularly on crowded roads, industry leaders have warned.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan last week discussed the city’s efforts to step up trials on self-driving vehicles, with plans to officially introduce passenger services and commercial applications, such as ride-hailing, within one to two years.
Such services have already existed in mainland China for at least six years.
Chan told a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday that testing had reached level four of highly automated driving, aligned with national and global standards and indicating that the city matched the mainland and other parts of the world on the technology.
The Society of Automotive Engineers has defined international standards for autonomous vehicles using a six-tier system, with zero meaning no automation and level five, full automation. The system has been widely adopted globally by the automotive industry and regulatory bodies.
Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu said Hong Kong could catch up with the mainland in terms of self-driving technology, pointing to the city’s strong road infrastructure and progressive regulations as attractive to foreign companies in the field.
