Moscow Launches Its First Driverless Tram
Artificial intelligence is now in charge of passenger safety and comfort as Russia rolls out next-gen public transport.
The sci-fi scenario has become reality: Moscow’s first passengers have ridden a tram controlled entirely by artificial intelligence. Mayor Sergey Sobyanin joined residents in testing the new system and praised its convenience.
Bringing the country’s first autonomous tram to the streets required two years of preparation across three stages. First, a human driver supervised the AI’s decisions. Next came test runs with passengers and a driver still in the cabin. Finally, the system advanced to full operation—regular service without a driver.
The neural network has proven to be a highly attentive “operator.” It strictly obeys traffic lights, always yields to pedestrians, determines how to handle intersections, and switches tracks autonomously. It also keeps to the schedule, manages passenger comfort, opens and closes doors, and even handles fare control.
Officials expect the technology to spread nationwide. In Moscow alone, plans call for AI to control at least 90 percent of the city’s tram fleet in the coming years.
