HKIA awards tender for autonomous transport

Credit: HKIA

Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) have announced that it has awarded tender for the development of autonomous vehicles and the associated transport system for carrying visitors between the Hong Kong Port of the Hong-Kong Zhuhai-Maco Bridge (HZMB) and SKYCITY at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). This will be the first autonomous mass transportation system in Hong Kong.

The tender was awarded to KCM-PML Joint Venture, which was formed by KC Smart Mobility Company Limited (KC Smart Mobility), a subsidiary of Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Limited and Prime Motors Limited. This venture is also co-operating with Baidu, the global market leader in autonomous driving technology; Baidu will be the technology provider of the intelligent transportation integrated system. Xiamen King Long will be the vehicle supplier.

The autonomous transportation system will operate on Airportcity Link, a dedicated vehicular bridge which is integrated with a pedestrian walkway. Constructed by AAHK, Airportcity Link will connect the major commercial development on the Airport Island, which provides dining, shopping and entertainment offerings, via the Hong Kong Port of HZMB and SKYCITY.

Visitors riding on the autonomous vehicles from the Hong Kong Port will reach SKYCITY in just three minutes, or vice versa. Each autonomous vehicle will carry a maximum of 16 passengers. The entire system can carry 500 passengers per hour per direction at the initial stage, with a target to increase the throughput to 2,000 passengers per hour per direction.

An agreement was signed today between Vivian Cheung, Acting Chief Executive Officer of AAHK, and James Wong, Director of KC Smart Mobility.

Vivian Cheung said at the signing ceremony, “HKIA has been pioneering the application of autonomous driving technology. We are the world’s first and only airport to put autonomous vehicles into live airport operations in a large scale, with autonomous electric tractors for baggage and cargo delivery, autonomous patrol cars to enhance airport security, and autonomous buses to shuttle airport staff on the apron.”

“The seamless connection between SKYCITY and the Hong Kong Port of the HZMB brought by the new system, along with the numerous attractions at SKYCITY, will certainly create exceptional experience and lure visitors, especially those from the Greater Bay Area, to the new landmark,” added Cheung.

In the next phase of development the autonomous transportation system on Airportcity Link will be further extended from SKYCITY to the nearby Tung Chung town centre, providing convenient connection with the MTR and bus service.