Hong Kong set to ease electric vehicle rules to allow use of mobiles for parking

Government plans to amend law to also allow vehicles to display non-driving-related information to motorists

Reading Time:2 minutes

Authorities have been promoting the use of electric vehicles in Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li

Published: 6:58pm, 4 Dec 2024Updated: 10:38pm, 4 Dec 2024

Hong Kong will relax restrictions on some electric vehicle (EV) features in proposed legislative amendments to be submitted this month, allowing the use of mobile devices for parking and cars to display non-driving-related information to motorists.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung said on Wednesday that the government planned to amend the legislation to allow the vehicle trade to introduce the two functions.

He noted that the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations currently did not allow any cars, not just electric ones, to show information other than that related to driving in the visual display unit in front of the driver’s seat.

Those who used a mobile phone or other communication devices to remotely park a vehicle also contravened the Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations, Lam said at a Legislative Council meeting.

Drivers cannot hold a mobile phone or other communication devices while driving a car under the law.

Lawmakers say certain restrictions reduce the public’s desire to switch to electric vehicles. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

“The government is actively working on the legislative amendment and plans to submit the proposals to the Legislative Council within this year, such that the vehicle trade will be able to introduce the above two functions for drivers’ use under the premise of ensuring road safety,” Lam told lawmakers.