Russia Begins Trials of Its First Intercity Driverless Tram
An AI-powered tram is set to link cities in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, marking a new stage in the development of autonomous public transport.
Testing has begun in Yekaterinburg on Russia’s first intercity driverless tram. The vehicle operates on a busy route between Yekaterinburg and the nearby city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma, where the necessary infrastructure is already in place, including modern tracks and a fully digital depot.
The tram is equipped with advanced computer vision systems and artificial intelligence that allow it to analyze conditions on the tracks in real time. It can independently detect obstacles and precisely calculate the distance to them, performing an automatic stop 7–10 meters before a hazard. This represents a fundamentally new level of automation for rail-based transport.
Digital transformation extends across the tram’s entire lifecycle. All maintenance operations at the depot are carried out automatically, without human involvement. This approach not only streamlines processes but also minimizes the impact of human error.
A Step Toward Smarter Transport
The rollout of driverless trams is being described as a confident step toward the development of smart transport in Russia and beyond. According to the developer, Verkhnepyshminsky Tramway, such vehicles are expected to become a global standard for urban transport systems.
To scale the technology further, the company has submitted an application to join an experimental legal regime. This would allow the Sverdlovsk region, alongside Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Nizhny Novgorod, to become an early adopter in integrating autonomous passenger transport into the urban environment, laying the groundwork for the future of mobility.
