Live road tests of cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology will take place in Hong Kong following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Hong Kong Applied Science & Technology Research Institute (Astri) and local bus operator Citybus.

They have agreed to collaborate on research and development projects related to autonomous driving and technology and to conduct live road tests on the Hong Kong Science Park to University MTR station route and within the Kai Tak development area.

These projects aim to establish cost-effective smart mobility, enhancing Hong Kong’s well-regarded public transportation system.

This inaugural collaboration seeks to leverage Astri’s intelligent mobility technologies and Citybus’ expertise in developing and operating public transportat to establish a model for transportation in Hong Kong. Citybus will support two Astri projects that have already secured funding from the Hong Kong government’s Smart Traffic Fund. Citybus will engage with Astri to explore further intelligent mobility projects that can drive the digitalisation of public transport operations and the broader application of artificial intelligence.

The 19-seat connected autonomous bus will run between the Hong Kong Science Park and University MTR station. The trial aims to assess the viability of connected autonomous buses in a complex public road environment, encompassing roundabouts and public transport interchanges. It is anticipated the trial run will encompass and cover pre-registered passengers during 2025, with Citybus providing operational know-how and support.

Set to commence this month, the project will explore the C-V2X technology applications in public bus services within the Kai Tak development area. Currently, Citybus is the primary bus operator and operates multiple public bus routes within the district, traversing to and from the Kai Tak runway area. For the first time, Astri will interface with Citybus’ on-bus systems and install C-V2X equipment on Citybus’s double-deckers to connect with the smart roadside units within the area. This connectivity will provide real-time road conditions and traffic light information, offering real-time alerts to bus drivers to enhance driving safety and operational efficiency.

Both projects are expected to yield R&D data to enhance the precision and reliability of the C-V2X system and wider autonomous bus technologies across various real-life scenarios, contributing to the advancement of Hong Kong’s smart mobility and public transport innovation.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone in Hong Kong’s progression towards smarter, safer and more efficient public transportation,” said Denis Yip, CEO of Astri. “By merging Astri’s technological prowess with Citybus’ operation experience, we’re poised to create intelligent options for smart mobility that could be emulated globally.”

Richard Hall, managing director of Citybus, added: “Citybus has always been at the forefront of smart transportation and new energy transformation, in line with our overarching vision to continually evolve the public transport industry and provision to our customers since establishment 45 years ago. Following the launch of our groundbreaking hydrogen and electric buses, as well as the implementation of a smart driving system across our entire fleet to improve safety and the customer experience, we are really pleased to collaborate with Astri to integrate their pioneering technology into our bus operations. We firmly believe that through this collaboration, we are not just exploring but also setting the future path for bus services in Hong Kong to be enhanced even further, contributing to the ongoing development of Hong Kong as a smart city with new technologies and expertise that can be exported internationally.”

Astri (www.astri.org) was founded by the government of Hong Kong in 2000 to enhance the city’s competitiveness through applied research.

Established in 1979, Citybus (www.citybus.com.hk) has grown to operate more than 1700 buses across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories and employs 5000 staff to serve 1.1 million customers daily.