[category]
[title]
Well, we saw this one from a mile away – it looks like the next thing AI is coming for will be our public transportation! Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has announced that it will go full steam ahead with launching driverless buses for landside travel this year, meaning that passengers will soon be boarding autonomous vehicles to move about.
HKIA is set to deploy autonomous buses on a route that connects the new Terminal 2 with the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). Each bus can accommodate up to 16 passengers, and it is estimated that, once the service has passed the trial stage and is confirmed to be fully in action, it can shuttle up to 2,000 individuals in each direction per hour. It’s not a great distance, to be sure – current transit time by private car, taxi, or franchised bus between Terminal 1 and the HZMB takes about five minutes at most – but it will provide a convenient option for travellers nonetheless.
It will not be the first time that autonomous vehicles will be seen zooming about. Since 2019, HKIA has operated a 70-strong fleet of autonomous vehicles and electric tractors for tasks like transferring baggage and air cargo, as well as daily patrols. In the past, driverless buses were even used to move transport staff between locations within restricted airside areas, though that service was abruptly put on hold following a collision event last June near Terminal 1. Fortunately, no passengers were aboard either of the buses when they crashed and there were no injuries reported from the incident.
No exact date has been given for the commencement of the autonomous bus service, but considering the expanded passenger and departure facilities at Terminal 2 are due to officially open on May 27 this year, we suppose it won’t be all too long after that.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox
Recommended stories:
Leading women in mixology gather for a one-off bar takeover at Avoca
Everything you need to know about Art Basel Hong Kong 2026
Michelin Guide has newly added nine restaurants to its Hong Kong & Macau edition