Self-driving trucks to hit Russian roads

The unmanned vehicles will be road-tested between Moscow and St. Petersburg

The first driverless trucks could start running between Moscow and St. Petersburg in the summer of 2023, according to the state company Russian Highways. Their operation will be part of a pilot project certified by the government.

The Russian Transport Ministry’s press service announced on Thursday that the authorities had approved the introduction of a test period on the M-11 Neva highway between the two cities. A decree to that effect has been signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The experiment will allow the testing of digital innovations in freight transport, primarily the operation of highly automated vehicles and the necessary infrastructure, it said.

The experiment reportedly involves six companies in the transport and logistics industry, including manufacturer KAMAZ, as well as the state infrastructure operator Avtodor. According to the participants, it will mark the beginning of the full-scale introduction of unmanned vehicles in Russia. The technological, organizational and business solutions that will emerge from the pilot project will also form the basis of autonomous transport and logistics corridors.

“The use of unmanned vehicles on public roads will not only improve traffic safety, but will also contribute to the creation of new types of commercial activities in the country,” the Transport Ministry said, adding: “this will also help reduce the cost of paying drivers by 30% up to 2025, and cut the use of fuel by 28%.”

The government plans to adapt around 20,000 kilometers of Russian public roads for autonomous vehicle operations by 2030.

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