The formation of unmanned logistics corridors can become an extremely promising step for the development of cargo transportation in Russia and increase the attractiveness of Russian transport routes for foreign contractors. This opinion was expressed in an interview in the journal "Vestnik GLONASS" by the head of the Research Department of integrated transport development of JSC NIIAT Tatyana Mikheeva.
According to her, now the largest share in cargo transportation in the Russian Federation is accounted for by road transport – according to federal statistics for 2019, about two-thirds of cargo transportation was carried out by motor transport.
At the same time, the expert noted, there are still a number of barriers (not only technological ones) that can negatively affect the speed of innovation implementation on the main transport corridors. These include, for example, climatic conditions. But the main difficulties may be in terms of timely coordination and formation of the appropriate infrastructure and ensuring interdepartmental interaction in the implementation of the project of unmanned logistics corridors.
Thus, the potential of this project is undoubtedly high, but it is important to timely eliminate the associated infrastructure and regulatory difficulties and comprehensive risk management.
Earlier, RIA Novosti, citing the document, reported that a logistics corridor for unmanned cargo transportation may appear between St. Petersburg and China. The project was called "Unmanned logistics corridors", it was initiated by the NTI "Autonet". It is planned that the section under consideration will become part of the mega-infrastructure strategic project "Unmanned transport logistics Corridor Europe-China".
The concept of the project was presented by the co-head of the working group of the NTI "Autonet" Alexander Gurko at a meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov on March 20.
In addition, earlier in an interview with RIA Novosti, the co-chairman of the working group of the NTI "Autonet" and the president of the non-profit partnership "Promotion of the development and use of Navigation Technologies" Alexander Gurko said that the project of an unmanned logistics corridor can be tested between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The projected payback of the unmanned logistics transport corridor Moscow-Petersburg will be a little less than 10 years, predict in "Autonet". According to calculations, the volume of necessary investments in the project will amount to 18 billion rubles. This money will be used to create the necessary infrastructure: information systems, communication systems, hubs, as well as to purchase a fleet of unmanned vehicles.
The Ministry of Transport of Russia and the NTS have already signed an agreement at the SPIEF to create a high-speed "green corridor" for unmanned cargo transport on the M-11 Moscow-Petersburg highway. Deputy Minister Kirill Bogdanov then said that by 2030, the total length of federal highways in Russia, equipped with special systems for the movement of unmanned cargo transport, should reach 19.5 thousand kilometers.
