Letters | Should Hong Kong go down self-driving car lane?

Readers discuss the government’s efforts to promote the development of self-driving cars in Hong Kong, and a transport subsidy scheme

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Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung takes a ride in a self-driving car in Nanshan, Shenzhen, in July 2023. Photo: Information Services Department

Published: 2:30pm, 6 Mar 2024

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Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung is very keen on “self-driving” cars in Hong Kong and is rolling out all sorts of trials. A new regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles apparently came into effect on March 2.

At this juncture it is worth asking why Hong Kong should have or needs to have self-driving cars. What benefit do they bring? Will Hong Kong drivers be asked if they want to share our roads with driverless cars?

Our Hong Kong road infrastructure is unique; we have a wonderful road system catering to high volumes of traffic and this system works well. The only people who may want to buy driverless cars are those who can afford them and, by and large, they are the people who have professional drivers to shuttle them about.

Driverless cars are quite simply not suited to Hong Kong road conditions. Let’s spend what’s left in the HK$1 billion Smart Traffic Fund on something more useful, please.

Karl Hurst, Repulse Bay