ASTANA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday witnessed the launch of cross-border autonomous freight trucks linking Astana and Moscow.
Autonomous heavy trucks traveled simultaneously on the Moscow-Astana and Astana-Moscow routes, covering about 3,000 kilometers in two days and crossing border checkpoints, the Kazakh presidential press service said.
Autonomous driving applied to the Moscow-Astana route is expected to cut cargo delivery time by more than half.
Kazakhstan's Transport Ministry said parts of the route were operated in autonomous mode in both countries. The test run focused on route connectivity, digital twin accuracy and offline performance, marking an initial step toward harmonizing autonomous transport regulations within the Eurasian Economic Union.
At a joint press conference, Putin said the two countries are working to optimize transport corridors across Eurasia and expand transit capacity.
Tokayev said bilateral freight volume reached about 92 million tons in 2025, up nearly 3.5 percent year on year, calling the pilot "a vivid example" of bilateral cooperation. ■