Kazakhstan's Almaty city is preparing to pilot self-driving taxi services, with up to 50 autonomous vehicles expected to begin operating on city streets by May 2026.

The announcement was made by Meiram Dyusyukov, deputy head of the city’s digitalization department, during a briefing of the regional communications service, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

“One of our most ambitious initiatives is the launch of a pilot autonomous transport program. In partnership with Yandex Kazakhstan, we plan to deploy 50 self-driving vehicles on city routes by May 1, 2026,” Dyusyukov said.

Alongside autonomous taxis, Almaty is accelerating the development of its intelligent transport system. The city’s transport holding already oversees dispatching and monitoring of public transport, with buses equipped with video surveillance and GPS trackers. A unified electronic fare system is currently in place via the ONAY app, with additional payment options-including bank cards, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay-set to be introduced soon.

City officials also plan to complete the installation of electronic information boards at 1,188 bus stops between 2026 and 2027. At the same time, a fully integrated intelligent transport system will be rolled out and linked to Almaty’s digital twin, enabling real-time traffic analysis, demand forecasting, and more efficient road and traffic management.

Authorities say the combined initiatives are expected to improve urban mobility, reduce congestion, and position Almaty as a regional leader in smart city transport solutions.