ASTANA – The Kazakh capital plans to launch an autonomous taxi service. A memorandum of cooperation on the development of autonomous taxi services was signed in the Kazakh capital on Dec. 29 between the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry, the Ministry of Transport, the Astana city administration, and Yandex Qazaqstan, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry reported.
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The memorandum provides for a phased approach to preparing the autonomous taxi project, covering regulatory and technological groundwork as well as pilot launches. Implementation is scheduled for 2026 and will be carried out in close cooperation with government agencies and municipal services.
According to Gizzat Baitursynov, chairman of the Committee for Digital Assets and Breakthrough Technologies, it is essential to address safety, liability, and human–algorithm interaction issues in advance, and to develop a regulatory framework that enables such solutions to evolve legally and transparently.
A memorandum of cooperation on developing autonomous taxi services was signed in Astana on Dec. 29 between the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Astana city administration, and Yandex Qazaqstan. Photo credit: gov.kz
“Autonomous taxis are part of a broader smart city ecosystem, where technology serves people’s interests,” Baitursynov said.
Autonomous taxis are viewed as an element of the long-term development of urban mobility. International studies indicate that autonomous technologies can help reduce accident rates by minimizing human error, optimizing traffic flow, and improving transport accessibility for various population groups, including people with limited mobility. Such services may also become an important component of a sustainable urban transport system in large cities.
The signing of the memorandum reflects the shared interest of the state, the city, and a technology company in advancing innovative transport solutions. At the current stage, the parties will focus on developing the regulatory framework, assessing infrastructure requirements, and analyzing scenarios for integrating autonomous transport into the urban environment.
