Driverless travel is gathering pace and you have nothing to fear, say industry experts

The role of automation was thrust into the spotlight after a driverless Uber car in the US killed a pedestrian but experts told a panel discussion in Hong Kong that the technology will work out

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Hong Kong’s South Island Line uses driverless trains. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 9:02am, 23 Mar 2018Updated: 9:02am, 23 Mar 2018

Does the thought of driverless travel give you nightmares?

Automation will “sort itself out” was the message from industry experts discussing the future of travel on Thursday as driverless technology expands in Hong Kong and around the world.

The role of automation and driverless cars was thrust into the spotlight earlier this week after a self-driving Uber car killed a pedestrian in Arizona. But despite such tragic mishaps, design experts, academics and leaders in the travel and transport industries taking part in a Hong Kong panel discussion backed the technology to work.

“Someone was killed the other day in a driverless, autonomous car, but I am sure hundreds were killed in a car driven by a driver as well,” argued Professor Rahim Tafazolli, head of the Centre for Communication Systems Research at the University of Surrey in Britain.

Frederick Ma says it’s hard to find train drivers. Photo: Felix Wong

Rail passengers in Hong Kong have already had a taste of the future as full automation exists on the MTR’s South Island Line which operates with driverless trains. The 7.4-kilometre (4.6-mile) line, which has five stations, opened in December 2016.