The Smart Road Initiative: Safety, Tech, and the Russian Ring Road

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The smart way in the suburbs

SMARTS told socialbites.ca that the third section of the central ring road in the Moscow region is ready for a trial of cars connected to smart road technology. The start of the experiment is expected within a few months.

“The Central Ring Road is prepared to test vehicle movement that relies on smart road infrastructure, bringing it very close to launch. Right now, work is underway to begin actual movement, and the equipment is already mounted on vehicles. The preparation will take about two more months, after which the experiment will begin,” he stated.

Traffic on the smart road of the Central Ring Road was restarted in 2020, but vehicles did not rely on it, so the system functioned only partially. KAMAZ and Mercator will be the first vehicles to be integrated with this system.

The project is led by Avtodor and United Operator, with several local market leaders participating. Having successful experience with the smart road project in the Samara region, SMARTS aims to develop working scenarios and integrate smart road infrastructure with vehicles.

“Examples include activating an electronic brake light when a vehicle sends data about sudden braking to other road users, or sending alerts about auto emergency services, road work, or the approach of a parked car. In essence, the experiment focuses on improving road safety. After completion, equipment to connect to the smart road will be installed on production models from KAMAZ and Mercator.”

So far there has been no discussion of fully autonomous vehicles in operation, but the possibility of deploying completely unmanned vehicles along Russia’s logistics routes is being considered for the future. A drone delivery component could cut delivery times roughly in half since drivers would not need to rest.

why the smart road matters

Smart road development is advancing worldwide in similar ways. Autonomous, unmanned vehicles drive on highways and continuously exchange data about traffic and surroundings. Information travels through internal sensors, dedicated antennas, and cables embedded in the road surface.

The main benefit is safer roads. For instance, if a car stops at a crossing because a pedestrian is present, another vehicle around the bend may not see the obstacle. The first car can signal the hazard, reducing the chance of an accident.

Vehicles will be able to coordinate routes and speeds to improve flow. This could allow ambulances to pass without sounding alarms as the road clears automatically.

Realization depends on V2X technology, meaning vehicle to everything communication, and requires solid road coverage with this radio system.

“The speed of V2X rollout hinges on road infrastructure, on board device integration by manufacturers, and the regulatory framework that governs this sector and cyber security for connected vehicles. Russia has ongoing discussions on this, but no full resolution yet,” notes Evgenia Ponomareva, Senior Business Development Manager for KasperskyOS-based solutions at Kaspersky Lab.

the smart road in Russia

The Central Ring Road-3 section already features V2X infrastructure; the next step is equipping cars with an onboard unit, or OBU, to enable communication between vehicles.

“Modern cars come with a suite of sensors, radars, and cameras. They can see ahead only in a straight line. Installing an OBU unlocks warnings about difficult traffic conditions on a dashboard, enabling vehicles to exchange information and work together on the road,” SMARTS explained.

But success depends on a robust telecommunications infrastructure.

“Optical fiber in the road’s fiber network turns into an acoustic sensor that we can listen to across the highway. At the section start, a camera will record vehicles by license plate and map an acoustic trace to follow the car’s journey. This allows us to monitor speed, stopping points, lane departures, or off-road events,” the team described.

The system can detect rapid accelerations, indicate upcoming obstacles, identify a vehicle drifting off the road, and track pedestrian movement in certain highway segments. All of this aims to enhance traffic safety by enabling faster responses to incidents and reducing obstacles. A potential user could be traffic police.

Currently this technology operates on a 240-kilometer stretch of the M5 corridor near the Samara region. Plans call for expanding the trial to other regions in the future.

possible challenges

NP GLONASS commented that the Moscow ring road smart segment is a testing ground to confirm both safety gains and business model viability.

“The idea is positive because it supports road safety. The project is important and necessary as it tests new technologies and V2X scenarios, offering Russia a solid start on both hardware and software fronts and paving the way for domestic use and export potential,” said a GLONASS spokesperson.

Independent automotive consultant Sergey Burgazliev welcomed the smart road concept for its safety aims but warned about potential implementation hurdles. He pointed to the high cost of equipment, limited test data, and the reluctance of some Russian truck makers to replace older components after sanctions. He noted that KAMAZ is transitioning to older K3 models and URALAZ has not yet replaced certain foreign engine control and braking system parts, which could slow progress due to reliance on foreign components in both vehicles and infrastructure.

[Citation: Industry experts and market participants discuss safety, regulatory gaps, and the readiness of domestic components for large-scale V2X deployment.]

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