Trial and Pilot Use of Autonomous Vehicles
To facilitate a wider trials and further application of autonomous vehicles (AVs) by the industry in the future, the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Autonomous Vehicles) Ordinance 2023 and the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA) (AVs Regulation) came into operation on 1 March 2024. The Transport Department (TD) issued the Code of Practice for Trial and Pilot Use of AVs on the same day, setting out the detailed technical, safety and operational requirements for the trial and pilot use of AVs.
Any person or institution who intends to test and use AVs on the roads in Hong Kong must first apply to the Commissioner for Transport for a pilot licence and an AV certificate in accordance with the new legislation, pass the vehicle examination and testing arranged by the TD, have the AVs registered and licensed pursuant to the existing registration and licensing regime for motor vehicles, and comply with the relevant requirements of the AVs Regulation in respect of insurance coverage, maintenance, reporting and investigation of incidents or accidents, etc.
In 2024, two trial projects were issued with pilot licences and AV certificates under the AVs Regulation, involving 12 AVs at two locations.