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Russia’s PM signs decree on self-driving cars

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on an experiment of using self-driving cars on public motorways

GORKI, November 26. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on an experiment of using self-driving cars on public motorways. The experiment will start from December 1, 2018 "on the territory of certain areas in Moscow and Tatarstan," the Prime Minister said.

"I have signed a government decree to hold an experiment on pilot operation of highly automated motor vehicles on public motorways," Medvedev said. "This provision will be used on a test basis on the territory of certain areas in Moscow and Tatarstan," he noted. "We will start very soon, from December 1," he added.

The decision to hold an experiment on public motorways is needed to finalize changes in traffic regulations for such motor vehicles, Medvedev said. It is also important "to make a run-in for normative regulation and process rules in this sphere," he added.

Yandex will take part in an experiment of using self-driving cars on public motorways in Moscow and Tatarstan, which will start in Russia on December 1, press service of the Internet company told TASS on Monday.

The decree on the experiment was signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The decision to hold the experiment on public motorways is needed to finalize changes in traffic regulations for such motor vehicles, Medvedev said earlier.

The experiment will last until March 1, 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov said.

"Yandex will take part in testing to expand zones and conditions for testing of the self-driving technology. We repeatedly stated the need for such an initiative and appreciate its taking," the press service said.

Yandex expects the government decree will enable trials in full scope. "This is one more step to make self-driving cars a usual phenomenon in the urban environment in future," the company says.