Kamaz, the Russian diesel truck and engine maker, plans to roll out twelve additional driverless trucks by September 2024. This update comes via TASS, the state news agency, which cited an unnamed official close to Russia’s Ministry of Transport.
According to the agency’s interlocutor, Kamaz is preparing to produce 12 unmanned trucks. The plan fits a broader push to expand autonomous freight operations in major cities, with Moscow and St. Petersburg at the forefront.
The report notes that the project centers on autonomous trucks designed to operate on highways linking Moscow and St. Petersburg, including the M-11 Neva corridor. It mentions that the necessary infrastructure for drone operations has already been established along this highway, complemented by a road-specific mathematical model to support autonomous performance and safety analyses.
In June, unmanned Kamaz trucks began traffic on the M-11 Neva route between St. Petersburg and Moscow, marking a milestone for autonomous freight in Russia. Even with autonomous driving features, crews will still be present in the cabins to monitor and intervene when necessary.
Earlier, Kamaz introduced a heavy unmanned truck prototype named RoboCop, signaling the company’s ongoing investment in autonomous heavy-duty capabilities and related technologies.
Analysts note that Kamaz’s driverless program aligns with broader strategies to modernize Russia’s transport sector, reduce operating costs, and improve safety on high-volume corridors. The ongoing work on the M-11 Neva corridor illustrates how infrastructure, regulatory readiness, and advanced vehicle control systems can converge to support automated freight movement at scale. Industry observers are watching to see how these developments will influence commercial adoption, regulatory frameworks, and potential collaborations with logistics operators in North America and Europe, where autonomous trucking markets have been evolving for several years.
Kamaz’s move also highlights how unmanned trucking projects increasingly emphasize hybrid operation models—where autonomous driving capabilities operate alongside human oversight. This approach is often chosen to ensure reliability during early deployment phases, adapt to diverse road conditions, and comply with evolving safety standards. Stakeholders emphasize the importance of robust telemetry, fail-safe procedures, and clear escalation paths for operators who supervise automated fleets on major highways.
Looking ahead, industry observers expect continued testing and phased integration of driverless trucks on national corridors. The ultimate goal remains to scale autonomous freight while maintaining rigorous safety and security controls, ensuring that operators, regulators, and the public recognize the benefits and manage potential risks effectively. In parallel, Kamaz’s developments contribute to a growing global narrative about how autonomous heavy-duty transport could reshape logistics, supply chains, and regional competitiveness.
In summary, Kamaz is advancing its driverless truck program with a planned batch of twelve additional vehicles by late summer 2024. The initiative underscores the company’s commitment to autonomous technology, the importance of dedicated highway corridors like the M-11 Neva, and the evolving ecosystem needed to support automated freight at scale, including human oversight in the early stages and ongoing infrastructural and regulatory adaptation across Russia.”