Kazakhstan to launch driverless taxi service in 2027

September 22, 2026 at 11:24 AM2 min

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Kazakhstan plans to launch commercial driverless taxi services in 2027, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev said at a government meeting on Tuesday. Pilot projects are already underway in Astana, Almaty and Kosshy, with the first autonomous vehicle testing in Almaty. The government is simultaneously developing the regulatory framework for autonomous transport.

Key Facts

Commercial driverless taxi services in Kazakhstan are scheduled to launch in 2027, according to Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev.
Pilot projects are currently running in three cities: Astana, Almaty and Kosshy.
The first autonomous vehicle is testing in Almaty, collecting data and building a digital map of the city.
Yandex Qazaqstan CEO Timur Shalekenov said the company needs to cover several thousand kilometers in test mode before starting commercial rides.
In August, the government approved rules for operating autonomous transport, including for taxi services.

Pilot Project Status

The first driverless car is currently operating in test mode in Almaty, accumulating experience and mapping the city. Yandex Qazaqstan CEO Timur Shalekenov stated that the vehicle needs to cover several thousand kilometers in this mode before commercial trips can begin. Pilot projects have been launched in Astana, Almaty and Kosshy, according to Minister Zhaslan Madiyev. In February, it was reported that 50 driverless taxis would be launched in Almaty in pilot mode by May in cooperation with Yandex Kazakhstan. In December last year, the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Astana akimat and inDrive signed a memorandum to implement a pilot project for driverless taxis in the capital in 2026.

Regulatory Framework

The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development is working in parallel on the regulatory framework for autonomous transport. Minister Zhaslan Madiyev said the ongoing pilot helps develop the first normative legal acts and prepare maps. In August, the government approved rules for the operation of autonomous transport, including for taxi services. The pilot project in Astana, in cooperation with inDrive, has selected a preliminary route from the airport to the Abu Dhabi Plaza shopping center. Driverless taxis will be available through the inDrive mobile application.