Hong Kong ramps up autonomous vehicle tests as Baidu expands trials in city

Hong Kong will ramp up autonomous vehicle (AV) tests and make more roads available for trials, authorities have said, as Chinese technology company Baidu prepares to transition its robotaxis to fully remote-controlled operations in the city.Baidu on Monday showcased its sixth-generation AV under its Apollo Go platform on Lantau Island, on a seven-minute driverless route that required manual takeover after the vehicle exited the approved geo-fenced zone.Derek Chung Cheuk-ming, chief electrical and mechanical engineer for autonomous driving and bus technology at the Transport Department, said on Monday that the government had issued seven pilot licences involving 63 autonomous vehicles as of June this year.