The Hong Kong Productivity Council and its Automotive Parts and Accessory System (APAS) R&D Centre have promised to strengthen their R&D activities in a bid to make autonomous vehicles a reality in Hong Kong.
HKPC will work with local companies to help them explore new business opportunities arising from smart mobility, HKPC chairman Willy Lin said during the opening of the APAS R&D Centre Showcase 2018 last week.
Speaking at the launch, Lin said the Hong Kong industry may wish to explore the significant business opportunities presented in the development of autonomous driving.
“For instance, while the automobile industry develops Internet of Vehicles technologies, other industries may find new opportunities in associated areas ranging from sensor infrastructure equipment and mobile app development, to car insurance services based on big data analysis,” he said.
“To help local industries seize such opportunities, APAS has recently acquired its first autonomous-ready vehicle with the support of the Innovation and Technology Commission. It will serve as an R&D platform for these technologies’ future local development and application.”
Lin added that HKPC is collaborating with the Airport Authority Hong Kong on the development and demonstration of intelligent connected vehicle vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology at the Hong Kong International Airport.
At the event, the APAS R&D Centre showcased its autonomous-ready vehicle, as well as winning solutions developed at the center for the 46th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.
This included a portable electric vehicle charger kit system, a smart safety seat belt, a smart street lamp monitoring system and tail lift anti-trapping system, and various electric vehicle charging solutions.
First published in Computerworld Hong Kong