Moscow – Rail travel developments continue to forge ahead in Russia, with Moscow announcing at the weekend that driverless tram services will be launched across various locations in the city in the latter part of 2024.
Moscow’s foray into driverless tram services marks a significant milestone in the city’s quest for innovation and efficiency in urban mobility.
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Maksim Liksutov, shared insights regarding this development, highlighting the ongoing test runs of the tram in the depot.
“We will launch the driverless tram at several locations, expected in the second half of this year,” stated Maksim Liksutov during a lecture on Moscow transport’s 2030 development program for local schoolchildren.
“Now this driverless tram is learning to drive without a driver in the depot.
“It is clear that our specialist is sitting there now, controlling how everything works, but the tram will drive itself.
“It sees passengers, it sees pedestrians, who sometimes cross the road in the wrong place, and stops when necessary.”
Maksim Liksutov elaborated on the tram’s capabilities, emphasising its ability to detect vehicles, traffic signals, as well as distinguish animals like dogs and cats, halting if necessary.
The tram system can even predict the behavior of vehicles and pedestrians.
“Next we will switch all trams to driverless control and our next stage will be the metro… This is most likely beyond 2030, but we are already working on it today,” the Deputy Mayor highlighted.
Furthermore, Maksim Liksutov referenced companies such as Yandex and Sberbank, which are testing driverless personal transport.
Touching on the future prospects in the field, Maksim Liksutov expressed confidence in the continued demand for professionals adept in driverless control and technology development, envisioning a future where such expertise will remain invaluable for decades to come.
Looking ahead, Maksim Liksutov shared insight on the transition to driverless electric buses, envisioning a future where these buses operate autonomously, albeit with a driver initially overseeing the process.
He anticipated a gradual shift towards integrated driverless control systems within the urban transport network in the foreseeable future.
