Laws for Robots
Russia’s Ministry of Transport is preparing a landmark bill on highly automated vehicles, creating the country’s first comprehensive legal framework for cars capable of operating without a human driver.
A Legal Breakthrough
Russia’s Ministry of Transport (Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation) is developing a draft law on Highly Automated Transport Vehicles, known by the Russian acronym HAV. This is not a procedural formality, but a foundational document that will shape the trajectory of autonomous transport in Russia for years to come. Its core objective is to establish a clear legal framework for the deployment and operation of vehicles with high levels of automation, corresponding to Levels 3–5 under international classifications, on public roads.
The draft law sets out a full system of rules, ranging from the legal status of HAVs to safety requirements, certification procedures, and operational standards. Equally important, it clearly allocates liability among road users when automated systems are involved.
The significance of the initiative is difficult to overstate. It marks Russia’s first structured move from experimental pilot projects to full legal integration of autonomous transport. For the domestic IT sector, the bill opens a window of opportunity by creating a regulatory environment for the development and scaling of homegrown autonomous driving technologies.
A Future on Autopilot
If adopted, the HAV law could fundamentally reshape Russia’s transport landscape. Domestically, it would legalize the testing and operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads. At the same time, it would stimulate research and development in artificial intelligence, machine vision, and telematics.
Particularly promising areas include robotic freight transport, automated public transit, and intelligent transportation systems for cities. The law could serve as the legal foundation for smart city pilots and federal programs focused on transport digitalization, allowing autonomous technologies to become part of everyday life for millions of residents.
The export outlook is more nuanced. Russia is well positioned to offer international partners high-quality services for HAV integration and lifecycle support. However, exporting fully autonomous vehicles would require substantial technological advances, especially given intense competition from established global leaders such as Waymo, Tesla, and Baidu. In this context, the most realistic markets for cooperation are countries in the CIS and parts of Africa, where legal systems and infrastructure are closer to Russian conditions.
From Experiments to Law
The regulatory groundwork for HAVs did not emerge overnight. It was preceded by a series of technological and organizational steps. Since 2020, robotic taxis and buses have been actively tested at the Skolkovo Innovation Center (Skolkovo Innovation Center), where developers refined urban navigation algorithms in real-world conditions. In 2022, a pilot project involving autonomous freight trucks launched in Ingushetia in partnership with foreign developers, enabling practical assessment of autonomous logistics.
In parallel, from 2023 to 2025, Moscow and Saint Petersburg built the road infrastructure required for V2X communication. Cities installed smart traffic lights and sensors to support continuous data exchange between vehicles and urban infrastructure, laying the groundwork for future intelligent transport systems.
Urban mobility received an additional boost in 2024, when testing of autonomous public transport began in Kazan. In 2025, the Ministry of Digital Development initiated a broad discussion on safety requirements for AI systems used in transport applications.
Together, these steps demonstrate a consistent transition from localized experiments to comprehensive regulation. Rather than simply copying foreign practices, Russia is developing its own HAV deployment model, tailored to domestic road conditions and digital infrastructure.
A Roadmap for Autonomous Transport
The HAV draft law is not an endpoint, but a starting point for large-scale transformation of the transport system.
In the short term, covering 2026–2028, lawmakers are expected to adopt the law itself and develop secondary regulations that clarify its provisions. At the same time, pilot projects are likely to launch in the country’s largest cities.
The medium-term phase, spanning 2029–2032, will focus on real-world deployment of HAVs in commercial transport. In parallel, export-oriented services designed to compete in friendly markets are expected to emerge.
In the long term, by 2033–2035, autonomous transport could see full-scale use in both logistics and urban passenger services. Russia would gain a tangible opportunity to participate in shaping international standards for HAVs, strengthening its position in the global race for the future of mobility. This would allow the country not only to export technologies, but also to influence the global rules governing the industry.
