Six Million Accident-Free Kilometers
KAMAZ autonomous trucks are steadily expanding their presence on Russian highways, transporting commercial freight while demonstrating that self-driving technology is no longer a futuristic concept but an emerging part of the country's freight transportation network.
KAMAZ autonomous trucks have logged nearly 6 million kilometers on public roads without a single accident or traffic violation. The vehicles are now hauling commercial freight along Russia's key highways – the M-11 Neva, the Central Ring Road (TsKAD) and the M-12 Vostok. Their autonomous driving system can recognize dangerous maneuvers by other road users and respond appropriately even when motorists deliberately attempt to "test" the autopilot. Even so, the company advises other drivers not to provoke autonomous trucks with abrupt lane changes or cut-ins, noting that the system is not designed for chaotic driving behavior.
The technology has now progressed well beyond isolated demonstrations to sustained commercial freight operations. The accumulated mileage has become a key indicator of the technology's maturity. For carriers, it offers an opportunity to reduce vehicle downtime, improve fleet utilization and partially offset the industry's driver shortage. For the country, it creates a pathway toward building a domestic autonomous transportation ecosystem spanning sensors, software, digital road infrastructure and the regulatory framework.
300 Autonomous Trucks by 2028
KAMAZ's primary goal is to transition to operating trucks without drivers in the cab by 2028. Under that model, vehicles would travel autonomously while a remote logistics operator supervises several trucks simultaneously, intervening only in exceptional situations. According to Russia's Ministry of Transport, more than 300 autonomous trucks could be operating on Russian roads by then. By 2035, the fleet could approach 57,000 vehicles, accounting for roughly 19% of the country's road freight turnover.
The economic benefits are particularly evident on long-haul corridors. Because autonomous trucks are not constrained by driver hours-of-service requirements, they can complete more trips. For example, deploying autonomous trucks has reduced the Moscow–St. Petersburg round trip from three days to one and a half days. Looking ahead, delivery times could decline by 20%–30%.
The technology's export prospects appear most realistic in the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), where technical standards are broadly aligned and long cross-border freight corridors already exist. A major milestone came in May 2026 with the first autonomous cross-border freight operation between Russia and Kazakhstan, demonstrating the feasibility of establishing autonomous transportation corridors across Central Asia.
A Road Years in the Making
The story of Russia's autonomous trucks has been one of steadily increasing scale and technical complexity. In 2021, the Ministry of Transport announced preparations to equip the M-11 highway for autonomous freight operations, bringing together KAMAZ, transportation companies, software developers and major freight shippers. In 2023, the first commercial runs began on the M-11, with autonomous KAMAZ trucks transporting real cargo between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
In 2024, trucks entered service with safety drivers no longer seated behind the steering wheel, while the experimental legal framework was expanded to the Central Ring Road and the M-12. In 2025, autonomous trucks began operating on the Central Ring Road, connecting the highway with major distribution centers around the Moscow region. By March, the combined mileage of autonomous trucks developed by different companies had exceeded 7 million kilometers. In 2026, KAMAZ launched operations on the M-12, and the cumulative accident-free mileage of Russian autonomous trucks surpassed 17 million kilometers.
Heading Toward Full Autonomy
Russia's autonomous trucks are moving from demonstrating technological capability to industrial-scale validation. Even so, full autonomy has not yet been achieved. On most routes, safety continues to be overseen by an onboard engineer or a remote operator. Through 2028, the most likely scenario is a gradual expansion in both fleet size and operating routes while the experimental regulatory framework remains in place.
The first fully driverless operations are expected to be introduced on toll federal highways, where lane markings are maintained to a high standard, while communications coverage and digital infrastructure are already well developed. Over time, competition is likely to extend beyond truck manufacturers to include developers of software platforms, machine vision, navigation technologies and fleet management systems.
