Astana, 21 October. The Kazakhstan Highway Research Institute and China's China TransInfo Group are setting up a joint centre for intelligent transport and driverless technologies; one of its main tasks is a pilot project for autonomous freight transport on the China–Kazakhstan route, the Ministry of Transport said.
The agreement on creating the Joint Competence Centre for Intelligent Transport and Driverless Technologies was signed in Astana on 16 October, but it was announced only on 21 October. The Chinese company works on intelligent transport systems, the digitalisation of road infrastructure, transport analytics and autonomous driving technologies; KazdorNII brings to the joint work its experience in road research, standardisation and regulation.
Besides driverless transport, the centre will deal with automated weight and dimension control of vehicles, including weigh-in-motion (WIM): such systems determine the weight and size of a lorry without stopping it at a checkpoint. Plans also include a testing ground for autonomous driving and a transport operations control centre that will link industry information systems and set up data exchange. The sides agreed to exchange experts, train specialists and hold joint seminars and visits, and have already defined their first steps.
"The centre will become a platform for the scientific and technical assessment of advanced digital and driverless technologies and their adaptation to Kazakh conditions. Our goal is to ensure the implementation of pilot projects and to prepare proposals for improving the regulatory and technical framework of the road sector," said KazdorNII Vice President Kenzhebek Azatbekov. The timing of the first pilot runs and the cost of the project were not disclosed.
What it means: Kazakhstan and China have agreed to prepare jointly for moving freight without drivers on the route between the two countries. For now this is about a centre, a testing ground and rules rather than actual runs: the technologies first have to be tested and adapted to Kazakh roads and standards.
Who benefits: The Ministry of Transport links the project to the development of intelligent transport infrastructure and the introduction of modern solutions on international transport corridors. According to the ministry's description, the centre will combine the Chinese side's technologies in AI and driverless transport with KazdorNII's expertise in standardisation and regulation. The sides have not yet named a timeframe or cost.
Background: Kazinform previously reported that air taxis and drones in Kazakhstan will get separate rules.
List of sources used: Kazinform, Kazinform
Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this material.
