Baidu's "Carrot Run" approved for the cross-district route connecting the airport island to Tung Chung and Sunny Bay

The Transport Department announced yesterday (23rd) that the cross-district test route connecting the North Lantau Airport Island with Tung Chung Town Center and Sunny Bay has officially been completed. Baidu (09888.HK)(BIDU.US) subsidiary autonomous driving service platform "Luobo Kuaipao" stated that as the first approved enterprise, it will be the first to operate across districts on this route, marking the successful fifth expansion since Luobo Kuaipao obtained Hong Kong's first autonomous vehicle pilot license in November 2024, achieving a strategic leap in its autonomous driving testing network from the airport hub to core communities in Hong Kong.

According to the approval and guidance of the Transport Department, Luobo Kuaipao's testing project in North Lantau will achieve three major upgrades, including extending the test route from the existing airport island to Tung Chung Town Center and Sunny Bay, with a total length of 43.2 kilometers; increasing the number of autonomous vehicles permitted to operate simultaneously; and enabling in-vehicle backup operators to collaborate with the control center during airport island testing to collect more data for orderly advancement towards the unmanned phase.

Baidu Vice President and General Manager of the Overseas Business Division of the Intelligent Driving Group, Yang Nan, stated that this fifth expansion of Luobo Kuaipao in Hong Kong is an important practice in implementing the "Transport Strategy Blueprint" and a key step for the group to accelerate automation. In the future, it will continue to root itself in Hong Kong, using hardcore technology to connect transportation arteries with community endpoints.

Baidu further stated that the completion of the route from North Lantau Airport Island to Tung Chung and Sunny Bay is of milestone significance for Hong Kong's smart transportation construction. This route successfully connects the airport hub with core residential areas, achieving a connection from transportation arteries to community endpoints. In the future, Luobo Kuaipao's services are expected to effectively supplement public transportation coverage gaps during nighttime or in certain areas, providing residents and travelers with more flexible and efficient travel options