Russia unveils first driverless bus at Skolkovo

Nov 01 2016

Mikhail Tereschenko / Moskva Agency

The ‘Matrёshka,’ self-driven electronic bus, unveiled at the Skolkovo Innovation Centre, could be ready to ply on the streets as early as 2017.

Mikhail Tereschenko / Moskva Agency

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The first electronically controlled and operated driverless bus, called the "Matrёshka" (“Matryoshka”) has been unveiled at Moscow’s Skolkovo Innovation Centre. This is the first vehicle of its kind in Russia. It is designed to carry up to eight passengers.

The vehicle debuted at the annual international forum of innovative development, "Open Innovation", held between October 26 and 28, 2016, reports the news agency Moscow.

The bus is controlled by computers and is equipped with self-learning software. There are specialized sensors and cameras on board which are able to observe the situation on the road in real-time. With a full battery, the bus can travel 80 miles, at a maximum speed of 20 mph.

Testing for the bus was supposed to begin in October this year, it was earlier reported, in a closed area of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre. Production of the bus is planned for 2017 at the Volga bus factory in Vladimirsky Region. It has also been reported that the Volga bus factory built the first Russian self-driving bus.

First published in Russian by Gazeta.ru.

RIR Technology