The Russian autonomous driving system was showcased at the Vladivostok Economic Forum (VEF). It is compatible with several Russian vehicles, such as the Lada Vesta, Moskvich-3, and Moskvich-6. “Our cars will be more autonomous than Tesla’s self-driving vehicles,” explains developer Alexander Rasskazchikov. “At the same time, the system is affordable because it is vision-based, meaning it uses cameras without expensive sensors or lidars.” According to the developers’ plans, the first fully autonomous vehicle with SAE Level 3 autonomy will be able to drive on city streets as early as 2025. More than 95% of the autopilot components are Russian-made. A simulator was also demonstrated at the forum, collecting data on driving styles and maneuvers to improve the autonomous system. Since 2018, autonomous cars and trucks have been tested on roads by four Russian companies: Yandex, SberAvtoTech, KamAZ, and Magnit. For now, these tests are conducted under an experimental legal framework, meaning a test engineer must always be present in the driver’s seat. However, the Ministry of Transport is developing the legislative framework and plans to officially launch autonomous vehicle traffic on Russian roads starting September 1, 2025. The introduction of such vehicles is expected to make road traffic in Russia safer. Preliminary test results show that highly automated vehicles have reduced accidents by 90% and cut freight costs by nearly a third.