Starting August 21, 2026, Kazakhstan will enforce regulations for a pilot project introducing vehicles with conditional and high automation. The relevant document has been published in the regulatory legal acts, as reported by infohub.kz.
The project is set to last three years and will cover Astana, Almaty, and the city of Kosshy.
The document establishes the country's first legal framework for allowing autonomous vehicles on public roads, setting strict requirements for cybersecurity, insurance, test drivers, and remote operators.
Rules have been approved for launching a three-year pilot project on autonomous vehicles in Astana, Almaty, and Kosshy. Definitions for conditional (Level 3, requiring a driver) and high (Level 4, no driver in the cabin) automation are introduced. Mandatory additional civil liability insurance for third parties is set at 60 million tenge per vehicle. Qualification requirements for individuals responsible for taking over control are defined (at least 3 years of driving experience, no medical contraindications, and no license revocations). Detailed procedures for companies, police, and the State Security Service in case of stopping an autonomous vehicle or an accident are outlined.
As noted by the Ministry of AI, this is the first regulatory act in Kazakhstan's history that legalizes the presence of self-driving cars and robotaxis on public roads. This event moves the development of innovative transport from a legal vacuum into a strictly regulated field with clear business responsibility and citizen protection.
It is not yet known how many autonomous vehicles will hit the streets of Astana and Almaty in the first months of the project, or when passengers will be able to use robotaxi services. Earlier, Kursiv reported that in mid-June, a robotaxi was showcased in Almaty, which is being prepared for launch in Kazakhstan. The self-driving car, based on a Hyundai Sonata, was shown to Vice Minister of Transport Damir Kozhakhmetov. The demonstration was part of efforts to develop intelligent transport systems and study the potential of autonomous transport in Kazakhstan. The service is planned to be introduced gradually.