Didi to apply for driverless vehicle tests in Hong Kong this year
Government adviser says Chinese ride-hailing giant plans Tseung Kwan O pilot, with scope to expand to other new development areas if business model proves viable
Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing will apply to test autonomous vehicles in a Hong Kong urban area this year, a government adviser has revealed, saying trials should eventually expand to cover more new development areas.
The announcement followed a visit to Didi’s Beijing headquarters last Wednesday by Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan and a group of lawmakers.
Gary Zhang Xinyu, a member of the Transport Department’s working group on promoting autonomous vehicle applications, said on Monday the company would apply for an autonomous vehicle pilot licence in Hong Kong this year, with initial trials planned for Tseung Kwan O.
“Tseung Kwan O itself is large and diverse – the town centre, Lohas Park and the industrial estate all have different road conditions,” he said on a radio programme.
“The industrial estate is a more suitable place to start because the roads are wider, the traffic volume is lower and the overall environment is relatively simple.”
Didi is also recruiting autonomous vehicle test drivers for Tseung Kwan O roles at HK$21,000 to HK$22,000 (US$2,678 to US$2,805) a month, according to a job posting. It states that drivers will operate vehicles on open roads, recording conditions and system performance to ensure safety.
Candidates must have held a Hong Kong driving licence for at least five years, with no traffic convictions in the past five years, and have mainland Chinese driving experience.
