Kazakhstan Prepares to Launch Driverless Taxi Service in 2026

Kazakhstan plans to launch a pilot project for driverless taxis in the second half of 2026, accelerating the country’s push toward autonomous transport technologies and the digitalization of urban mobility. Preparations for the project were announced by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. According to the ministry, Yandex Qazaqstan and inDrive have already begun preparing the necessary infrastructure under government coordination. The project includes the construction of specialized garages, the import and configuration of autonomous vehicles, and the adaptation of software to Kazakhstan’s traffic regulations and local road conditions. “The project is being implemented through a ‘regulatory sandbox’ mechanism, which will allow technological solutions to be tested in controlled conditions and help form the necessary legislative framework,” the ministry said in a statement. Officials noted that Kazakhstan currently lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework governing autonomous transport, including standards related to safety, navigation, and traffic management. As a result, driverless vehicles will initially operate under continuous supervision by human operators, and the project will move forward only after testing is completed and infrastructure readiness is confirmed. Almaty is expected to become the primary city for the introduction of the service, although routes and traffic schemes for autonomous taxis are still being designed. Earlier, the administration of Astana also signed memorandums with Yandex Qazaqstan and inDrive regarding the launch of driverless taxi services in the capital in 2026. At the same time, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport is developing separate regulations for the use of autonomous cargo trucks on inter-city highways. Kazakh authorities say they are drawing on international experience in deploying autonomous transport technologies. The ministry noted that Tesla is currently testing robotaxi services in Texas, while Waymo already operates commercial autonomous ride services in several U.S. cities. In China, similar projects are being developed by Baidu and Pony.ai.