Baidu’s Apollo autonomous vehicles granted licence to test in Hong Kong

BEIJING – China’s Baidu has received the licence to test autonomous vehicles with its Apollo robotaxi service in Hong Kong as it expands its footprint outside the Chinese mainland.

Baidu Apollo International was approved to conduct trials for 10 autonomous vehicles in North Lantau, according to a statement released by Hong Kong’s Transport Department on Nov 29.

The licence will be valid from Dec 9, 2024, to Dec 8, 2029, with only one self-driving car operating on specified road sections at a time in its first phase, according to the statement.

During the trial, a backup operator stationed on board shall take over control of the vehicle if necessary, it added.

The Hong Kong government has since at least 2017 actively promoted autonomous vehicles, but has only recently allowed wider trials of autonomous vehicles including on public roads following the roll-out of a new regulatory legislation in March 2024.

This is the first pilot licence given out by the Hong Kong government since the introduction of the new regulatory regime.

It also marked Baidu’s first known permit for autonomous vehicle testing outside mainland China.

The company’s robotaxi service, Apollo Go, is operating in multiple Chinese cities, with the largest fleet of more than 400 vehicles in central China’s Wuhan city.

“Apollo Go looks forward to bringing the benefit of artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology to more countries and regions,” a spokesperson for Apollo Go said. “This marks an important milestone in our journey towards globalisation.”

As competition to commercialise autonomous vehicles hots up, Baidu plans to launch its robotaxi service outside mainland China, including Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported in October. REUTERS