Yandex Qazaqstan starts high-precision mapping of Almaty for autonomous transport

September 24, 2026 at 04:55 PM2 min

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Yandex Qazaqstan has begun creating a high-precision digital map of Almaty to support autonomous vehicle testing, with specially equipped cars now collecting road data. The project was launched with the support of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. Delivery robots were also demonstrated in the city, including the first completed order.

Key Facts

Yandex Qazaqstan has begun creating a high-precision digital map of Almaty for autonomous transport testing.
Specially equipped vehicles with lidars and cameras are collecting data on road markings, traffic lights, signs, and intersections.
Delivery robots were launched in Almaty, and the first order was completed using a robot courier.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev stated that Kazakhstan has already created regulatory conditions for testing autonomous vehicles.
The mapping project is part of a phased approach to autonomous transport, with safety as the key principle.

High-Precision Mapping

Yandex Qazaqstan has started creating a high-precision digital map of Almaty, which will serve as the technological basis for piloting autonomous transport in the city. Specially equipped vehicles have begun driving on Almaty streets to collect data on road infrastructure. The vehicles are equipped with lidars, cameras, and other sensors that record road markings, traffic lights, road signs, intersections, and other elements of the urban environment. The collected information is used to form a detailed digital model of the road infrastructure. The high-precision map contains detailed data on road markings, intersections, road signs, traffic lights, and other objects along the route, helping autonomous vehicles determine their location and navigate the urban environment.

Delivery Robot Launch

Delivery robots were launched in Almaty as part of the event, and the first order was completed using a robot courier. Representatives of Yandex Qazaqstan demonstrated the technology operating in an urban environment. The robot independently navigates the terrain, builds a route, recognizes obstacles, and selects a safe trajectory. The demonstration also showed the robot interacting with traffic lights, crossing the road, and moving in urban infrastructure conditions.

Regulatory Framework and Phased Rollout

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev emphasized that artificial intelligence should become an applied technology changing real sectors of the economy and everyday life. He noted that Kazakhstan has already created regulatory conditions for testing autonomous vehicles in urban environments. The next stage is the formation of the necessary technological infrastructure, with the high-precision map of Almaty being part of this work. Madiyev stated that the introduction of autonomous transport will proceed in stages through technology testing, analysis of real road scenarios, and further improvement of regulation. Almaty's Head of Digitalization, Sabit Nurkanat, noted that Almaty is the country's largest metropolis with complex and diverse transport infrastructure, and mapping will allow the city to account for urban features and form a technological basis for the next project stages.