The Moscow Metro plans to roll out fare payment system based on facial recognition starting next spring. Interfax reports this with reference to the words of the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport Maksim Liksutov.

According to him, the system is now being tested on employees with two Russian banks, that already have a face recognition system. The metropolitan metro will provide only infrastructure related to biometrics, and personal payment data to be stored by banks, Liksutov explained in an interview with Echo of Moscow.

Our system will allow face recognition, and if you are connected to a bank card with your biometric data, then you will pass with an open turnstile.

Maksim Liksutov

Deputy Mayor of Moscow

In addition, the head of the Department of Transport of the capital spoke about the goal of making the MaaS application available to all users. According to him, the MaaS platform will be open to proposals from developers of any level, even startups.

It will open up completely new opportunities for operators, carriers and transport companies. A single application will allow them not only to promote their services to a larger audience, but also create an equal competitive environment between market participants, because users themselves will decide which one to choose. Participation in a single urban system is a sign of quality, reliability and compliance with high standards. At the same time, we will not oblige the company to participate.

Maksim Liksutov

Deputy Mayor of Moscow

Read more about the prospects for the development of MaaS in Moscow and other megacities of the world here →