Vladimir Putin launched the movement of unmanned trucks on the M-12 East highway.

      March 31, 2026 18:31 Society President of Russia Vladimir Putin launched the movement of unmanned cargo transport along the federal highway M-12 "Vostok." This was reported on the Kremlin's website. According to the head of state, the launch of the movement signifies the formation of a unified corridor for unmanned cargo transportation between Saint Petersburg and Kazan. "In the future, the geography of such 'smart' transport will be expanded to other major federal highways," the head of state noted at the opening ceremony of the transport complex facilities via video conference. Vladimir Putin added that unmanned transport has already proven its economic efficiency, having traveled 13 million kilometers without accidents. Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev noted that the launch of unmanned cargo transportation along the M-12 "Vostok" highway is being implemented as part of the federal project "Unmanned Logistics Corridors." According to him, the development of unmanned transportation on federal highways began in June 2023 with the launch of three vehicles on the M-11 "Neva," and today more than 95 highly automated trucks are already operating on Russian roads. By 2030, their number on the country's roads is planned to increase to 4,000. Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin noted that in experimental mode, an unmanned truck traveled the distance in 24 hours instead of the 58 hours that would be required with a driver, emphasizing that this is indeed very interesting and potentially economically beneficial. It was previously reported that the high-speed M-12 highway, which passes through the Nizhny Novgorod region, is planned to be extended to Tyumen. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+