A draft amendment from the Russian Ministry of Transport proposes changes to traffic rule 2.7 that would tighten the rules on what a driver can and cannot hold while behind the wheel. The text sets out a ban on using a phone or other non-integrated devices while driving unless the action is performed hands-free, aligning with a global push to reduce distraction.
The amendment describes a restriction on operating any device not foreseen in the vehicle’s design while driving, one that would require holding or manipulating the device with hands. There is a narrow exception for interactions that are hands-free and relate to the vehicle’s built-in navigation features to determine the path of travel.
At present, the document is under public discussion. The ministry has stated that the goal is to prevent drivers from keeping tools in their hands while in motion, which can divert attention from the road.
Officials emphasize that the changes would ban a range of gadgets that can distract a driver and impair concentration. The proposed updates aim to improve road safety and incorporate the reality of modern devices such as smartphones, tablets, wearable tech, and in-car infotainment systems.
The central devices singled out include tablets, smartphones, and the car’s multimedia system when used to watch videos, play games, or otherwise engage with content while the vehicle is moving.
The ministry did not provide clear answers on whether electronic cigarettes would be banned or how traffic cameras would distinguish them from regular cigarettes.
Device or sandwich – the inspector will decide
Anton Shaparin, deputy chairman of the National Automobile Association, argues that the current language seems to ban holding any device at all, with a single exception for hands-free navigation usage.
He warns that if the changes pass, the use of electronic cigarettes, tablets, and similar devices behind the wheel could become illegal, potentially subject to a fine of 1,500 rubles.
Shaparin also notes that while restricting device use may reduce crash risk, enforcing the rule would require significant manpower and could lead to misjudgments on the ground.
He adds that the broad rule might lead inspectors to determine whether a person holds a device or something else based on camera evidence that reaches them.
There will be a lot of mistakes
Experts say neural networks can already detect seat belt violations and phone use; the same approach could be extended to monitoring electronic cigarettes, but camera systems still produce higher error rates than license plate recognition because cameras see through windshields, weather can degrade images, and reflections can mislead.
Camera placement high on city streets can look through the windshield, which can become dirty or obstructed, making automatic detection less reliable.
At the same time, violations such as an unfastened seat belt or a phone in hand are not processed fully automatically: the system flags objects with a certain probability, and then inspectors review the results.
Enforcement efforts around speed and other factors have shown that many cases rely on human checks rather than purely automated results, and misidentifications are possible. Distinguishing electronic cigarettes from regular ones will demand careful examination of the collected data by inspectors.
Experts say neural networks can be taught to recognize a cigarette in the hand, just as they detect a phone. The real question is the likelihood of error. Distinguishing electronic cigarettes from regular ones remains a challenge, and skepticism about the initiative exists among some observers.
Requests to the interior ministry about the stance on the transport ministry’s proposal and how material relating to gadget and e-cigarette detections would be handled did not receive a response.