More than 800 pedestrian crossing locations had received new electronic sound boxes by August 2026, covering about 40 per cent of all pedestrian crossing locations in Hong Kong. The Transport Department began replacing the devices district by district in April 2025 and expects to complete work at about 2,000 junctions by the end of 2027.
The familiar units, installed beside traffic lights, use sound and vibration to signal changes in pedestrian crossing lights to people with visual impairments. Many have been operating for more than 20 years. The new devices can read out nearby street names in Cantonese, Putonghua and English, and include a tactile map to help users understand the road layout.
The upgrade also adds night-time features. The department lowers the devices’ volume to reduce disturbance to residents. After discussions with representatives of people with visual impairments, it decided to add a dedicated remote control and mobile-app control, allowing users to raise the sound when needed.
The Transport Department says it will prioritise areas where more people with visual impairments are active.