Macau, China, March 17, 2026 (Lusa) - The first AI-powered autonomous bus route dedicated to cross-border medical travel was launched between Macau and mainland China, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to the Chinese newspaper China Daily, the bus service connects the Hengqin (Mountain Island) border checkpoint, a special economic zone next to Macau, to a hospital operated by Guangzhou Medical University in the same area.

The Chinese Central Government established the Hengqin Deep Cooperation Zone as a special economic area designed to support the diversification of Macau's economy and complement various essential services for the city's residents.

Powered by autonomous driving technology and with operational support from national companies MOGOX and Autonoma, the route spans seven kilometres and allows passengers to reach the hospital in approximately 15 minutes.

These types of AI buses can operate without human intervention under specific conditions and routes and are increasingly integrated into China's official public transport networks.

During the trial period, the service is open to the public free of charge, operating from 08:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 17:30, with departures every 30 minutes.

Official data shows that more than 20,000 visits were made last year by Macau residents seeking treatment at this hospital, which features 21 clinical departments.

MOGOX stated it has already deployed its autonomous buses in more than 20 cities in China, serving over 200,000 passenger trips and accumulating a total of five million kilometres travelled.

In October 2025, the company also won the tender for the first official autonomous bus project in Singapore, marking the first time such vehicles have been incorporated into a public transport system outside China.

NCM/RYOL // AYLS

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