MOSCOW, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Ministry of Transport announced on Monday that Kamaz, a leading Russian manufacturer of trucks, will introduce its first fleet of self-driving trucks to transport goods along the M-11 Moscow-St. Petersburg highway starting Wednesday.
The groundbreaking initiative is part of the "Unmanned Logistics Corridors" project which aims to pioneer the use of unmanned vehicles in conjunction with the services provided by "smart roads," said the ministry.
Major Russian carriers including PEK, Globaltruck, and Gazpromneft-Supply are participating in Wednesday's test launch.
Supervised by Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov, the project mandates that only unmanned vehicles meeting the safety requirements, as assessed by the testing laboratory of the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (FSUE NAMI) and granted approval by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will be permitted to operate on the M-11 highway, said the ministry.
Currently, Kamaz, headquartered in Naberezhnye Chelny, is the only company that has completed all the necessary procedures.
Deputy Head of the Ministry of Transport Dmitry Bakanov reiterated support for Russian companies implementing innovative unmanned solutions without relying on public funds, stressing that ensuring the safety of all road users remains the paramount priority. ■
