The Minister of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry, Jaslan Madiyev, proposed the development of the market for unmanned vehicles in Kazakhstan during a government meeting, as reported by a correspondent from the Kapital.kz business information center.
According to him, such projects are already being successfully implemented in the USA, China, and Russia.
“The unmanned vehicle market itself holds enormous potential. For instance, by 2035, the market for unmanned vehicles is expected to reach $3 trillion, growing nearly 100 times. Therefore, there is a need for systematic support for the development of the electric vehicle market. It is proposed to develop a program for infrastructure development for electric cars and measures to encourage their purchase,” the minister suggested.
He noted that in some countries, electric vehicle owners receive discounts on parking and the use of toll roads, and are allowed to travel in public transport lanes.
“To attract global players to the unmanned transport market in Kazakhstan, it is proposed to create appropriate conditions in several stages. The first stage involves a regulatory sandbox, within which regulations will be adopted, and test sites chosen for pilot launches. In the next stage, as the project succeeds, it will be launched on a national scale,” added Jaslan Madiyev.
He mentioned that launching such an initiative for unmanned transport would bring several strategic advantages to Kazakhstan. Firstly, it would attract international companies and investments. Companies like Waymo (Google), Tesla, Baidu, Mobileye, Yandex, and Huawei are actively seeking countries with flexible regulations for testing unmanned vehicles.
“Secondly, there will be an influx of foreign investments in research, infrastructure, and the production of components for autonomous vehicles. For example, in the UAE, the regulatory sandbox allowed companies WeRide and Cruise to test unmanned taxis in Dubai, accelerating local digitalization in transport,” he noted.
Thirdly, this will contribute to the development of local startups in the field of unmanned technologies.
“As a result of implementing the mentioned initiatives, Kazakhstan's status as a regional technological hub will be strengthened,” concluded the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry.
Earlier, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed to launch the E-Joldar digital platform in pilot operation by the end of 2025. This platform monitors the condition of not only national roads but also local and city roads. Additionally, in 2025, Kazakhstan will introduce 4,000 kilometers of toll roads and plans to cover 13,000 kilometers of roads for repairs.