Chinese technology firm Baidu is scheduled to begin a public trial of its autonomous vehicle (AV) platform, Apollo, in Hong Kong starting October 21. The trial, which is the first of its kind in the city on this scale, will operate in the Tung Chung area and conclude on November 3.

According to the company, more than 1,000 local residents have been invited to experience the robotaxis firsthand. Iris Wong Man-hei, a senior manager for Baidu’s intelligent driving group, characterized the upcoming trial as a significant milestone for Hong Kong’s integration of autonomous driving technology. While the trial is limited to a specific district and timeframe, it represents a notable shift in the city's approach to testing self-driving systems in a public, urban environment.

This initiative follows ongoing global efforts by tech companies to demonstrate the safety and viability of autonomous transport. By opening the service to a large group of public participants, Baidu aims to gather data and public feedback on the performance of its Apollo system within the unique traffic conditions of Hong Kong. The trial is expected to provide insights into how autonomous vehicles navigate the city's infrastructure, which is often characterized by high density and complex road layouts. No further details regarding the long-term expansion of the service or specific regulatory hurdles were provided in the initial announcement.