Navio autonomous truck traveled 1,600 km from St. Petersburg to Kazan in a day

An autonomous tractor Navio in 24 hours overcame the route St. Petersburg – Kazan on the highways M-11 “Neva”, A-113 Central Ring Road and M-12 “Vostok”. The total distance exceeded 1,600 kilometers. According to the company, the key result of the trip was the confirmation of the stability and reliability of the technology in real road conditions.

2.5 times faster than a standard flight

A normal trip between St. Petersburg and Kazan takes about 58 hours, as the driver has to follow a work and rest schedule. An autonomous tractor without a driver in the cab was able to reduce this time by almost 2.5 times, delivering the cargo in one day.

NavioSim and technology testing

One of the key development tools was the photorealistic NavioSim simulator. It allows you to simulate routes of any complexity, practice interactions with other road users, and test rare and critical scenarios that cannot be safely replicated on conventional roads.

The use of the virtual test site accelerates the development of the technology and will allow for faster development of new highways and long routes in the future.

Company Statement

“In 2023, we started adapting the technology to trucks. Today we are demonstrating readiness for driving distances of more than 1,600 kilometers. This is not just a test, but a confirmation of the effectiveness of autonomous vehicles for long-haul trucking.”

Perspectives and regulation

The increased operating distance of autonomous trucks will reduce fleet downtime due to driver shortages, increase transportation volumes, and improve safety on highways.

According to current Russian law, an engineer must be in the cab of an autonomous hauler to supervise and intervene in case of abnormal situations. The movement of highly automated cargo vehicles is allowed under experimental legal regimes(EPR No. 1849, EPR No. 2495).