AI-Powered Crosswalks Arrive in Small Russian Cities
Smart pedestrian crossings, once a big-city experiment, are now spreading nationwide, making streets safer from Moscow to the Arctic.
In Gubkinsky, a small city in Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District with only a few tens of thousands of residents, officials have installed four AI-powered pedestrian crossings for the first time.
The system detects when a person or car approaches. If a pedestrian steps onto the road, the AI triggers floodlights and an electronic sign reading “Pedestrian,” warning drivers to slow down and avoid accidents.
At night, the smart crosswalk projects road markings directly onto the pavement for extra visibility.
By the end of the year, 38 such systems will be deployed across the Yamalo-Nenets region, mostly near schools, hospitals, and care facilities. Similar AI-driven crossings are already operating in 25 Russian regions, from central areas to the country’s remotest territories.
