The Transport Department (TD) on Thursday said it will begin using artificial intelligence by the end of the year to process online vehicle licence renewals and applications for cross-boundary driving schemes.

The AI technology will automatically identify, cross-check, and verify submitted documents, including identity cards, insurance policies, and proofs of address.

Deputy Commissioner for Transport Candy Kwok said AI will handle over 90 percent of online vehicle licence renewals, reducing processing times from up to ten working days down to just one.

She added that more than 50 percent of applications for cross-boundary driving schemes will be automatically approved by the system.

Similar use of AI could later be expanded to other high-demand services, such as local and international driving licence applications, she said.

The department is also rolling out a pilot project at the busy junction of Gloucester Road and Great George Street in Causeway Bay in the first quarter of next year, where AI will adjust traffic light signals based on real-time pedestrian and vehicle flows.

Chief Engineer Gordon Kwok explained that the system is expected to cut pedestrian waiting times by 15 to 20 seconds.

“The subject junction is at the main pedestrian route between Victoria Park and the Causeway Bay area. Due to its specific location, the vehicle and pedestrian flow are particularly high and varying,” he said.

“So that's why we try to make use of the AI technology to detect the real-time pedestrian and vehicular flow so as to compute the appropriate signal timings so that we can balance the needs of different road users and allocate more green time to the pedestrians.”

Kwok stressed that the system will strictly measure traffic volume and will not collect licence plate data or facial recognition information.

The department noted that AI has also been deployed to block automated bots from hoarding online queue slots for driving licences, cutting appointment wait times from up to two hours down to under 45 minutes.


Edited by Aaron Tam