09:00 - 4.08.2026

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August 4, Fineko/abc.az. Amendments have been made to national legislation to establish legal mechanisms for the deployment of autonomous vehicles as part of the "Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2028."

According to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport (MDDT), the updated regulatory framework creates institutional foundations for adopting autonomous technologies across surface transport modes. For the first time, terms such as "autonomous vehicle," "operator," and "remote control center" have been codified into law alongside definitions for high and full automation levels.

Key Implementation Areas:

• Operation of driverless buses along designated routes;

• Deployment of driverless metro trains;

• Integration of autonomous freight vehicles within logistics hubs and industrial zones;

• Commercial operation of remotely controlled tram and railway systems.

Under the new regulations, autonomous vehicles will only be permitted to operate following state registration and approval within authorized test zones or dedicated lanes. Certified operators at remote control centers will monitor fleet operations in real time and step in if necessary.

The legislation further mandates real-time data transmission to state information systems, a requirement to retain operational data for at least 6 months, and the display of a special "Autonomous Vehicle" identification mark.