Residents of the Technopolis Moscow Special Economic Zone and scientists from the National Research University of Electronic Technology are conducting research to create a facility to print microcircuits. Research work is being carried out on the premises of the university in consultation with the specialists from the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center, which has already invested $4.6 million (more than 300 million rubles) in the project.

 
 With the help of the facility, specialists plan to launch the production of chips with feature sizes of 28 nm or smaller using Russian synchrotrons and plasma radiation sources. If the project is successful, development work will be launched to create a lithography device.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-moskve-planiruiut-sozdat-ustanovku-dlia-proizvodstva-mikrochipov/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

mos.ru

Microchip Production Device to Be Created in Moscow

Yandex has signed the term sheet for the deal with VK to sell Yandex.News and Yandex.Zen. The deal will have to be approved by the Federal Antimonopoly Service. “Detailed terms of the deal will be disclosed later,” the representatives of company explained.

 
 In mid-March it was announced that Yandex could sell these two platforms. Then the sources of RBC reported that “due to the complicated access to capital and the changing economic situation, Yandex decided to concentrate on the development of search, technologies and city services”.

 
 

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-news/" target="_blank">Yandex.News</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-zen/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Zen</a>

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-dogovorilsia-s-vk-o-prodazhe-servisov-iandeks-novosti-i-iandeks-dzen/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex

Yandex Sells Yandex.News and Yandex.Zen to VK

Rostelecom will enter the microelectronics market. JSC Westelcom (owned by Rostelecom) and Elvees R&D Center established a joint venture - SI Micro. Elvees R&D Center owns 49% of the company, and Westelcom owns 51%.

 
 According to the sources of Kommersant, Rostelecom regards Elvees as a strategic partner in the design center market for exclusive development of solutions. “In this case, the company will have a subordinate supplier, which will be focused on the development of components for telecom equipment, and Elvees will get financial leverage,” the sources of Kommersant explain.

 
 Rostelecom can also involve Elvees R&D Center in the development of solutions for the Internet of Things (smart sensors for home, electricity and water meters, security systems).

<hr />
 
 Elvees R&D Center is the developer of Scythian mobile processor and microcircuits based on Multicore ­­— the center’s own design platform. The revenue of Elvees R&D Center for 2021 amounted to $16.9 million (1.1 billion rubles), which is 55% lower than in 2020.

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rostelekom-i-npts-elvis-sozdali-sp-esai-maikro-dlia-vypuska-mikroelektroniki/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

Kommersant

Rostelecom and Elvees R&D Center Established a Joint Venture SI Micro to Produce Microelectronics

Telegram is among the top 5 most downloaded applications in the world in the first quarter of 2022, according to Sensor Tower. TikTok was ranked first, Instagram, Facebook (banned in the Russian Federation) and WhatsApp were ranked second, third and fourth, respectively.

<div>
 <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
 src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/b0c7b911-4e27-5746-b2f0-17180a722eae.png">
</div>
 
 Source: <a href="https://sensortower.com/blog/q1-2022-data-digest" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sensor Tower</a>
 

 
 “In 2022, Telegram is again in the top 5 most downloaded apps in the world (just like in 2021). Of these top 5 most popular apps, Telegram is the only one that doesn’t spend billions on marketing to buy downloads. In a way, we are the only app that is on the list purely because it is genuinely loved by the people,” — the founder of the messenger Pavel Durov <a href="https://t.me/durov/182" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wrote</a> in his Telegram channel.

 
 In Europe, Telegram is the third most downloaded app after TikTok and WhatsApp.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/sensor-tower-telegram-voshel-v-top-5-naibolee-zagruzhaemykh-prilozhenii-v-mire/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

TASS

Sensor Tower: Telegram is Among the Top 5 Most Downloaded Applications in the World

Revenue of Yandex in Q1 of 2022 grew by 45% compared to the same period of last year and reached 106 billion rubles.

 
 Data by segment:

<ul>
 <li>revenue of the Search and Portal segment increased by 25% and reached 43.8 billion rubles;</li>
 <li>the gross merchandising value of the e-commerce segment grew by 164% to 64.6 billion rubles;</li>
 <li>&nbsp;revenue of the Media Services segment increased by 67% reaching 5.8 billion rubles;</li>
 <li>the company’s revenue from smart devices sales grew by 32% and amounted to 2.2 billion rubles.</li>
</ul>

 
 Gross merchandising value (GMV) in the Mobility segment grew by 40% over the reporting period and reached 167.4 billion rubles. GMV of other O2O-services (online-to-offline) in the first quarter grew by 92% and amounted to 24.3 billion rubles.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/vyruchka-iandeksa-v-pervom-kvartale-2022-goda-uvelichilas-na-45/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex Reports Revenue Increase by 45% in Q1 2022 

In the first quarter of 2022 the number of DDoS attacks with a bandwidth of up to 10 Gb/s increased by 19% in Russia. Over 900 thousand devices were involved in the implementation of these attacks.

 
 Application Layer (L7) attacks prevailed among the incidents. These attacks use encrypted traffic, and the requests are similar to the traffic of legitimate users. This type of attacks is one of the most difficult to detect and filter, since a large amount of computing power is required for cleaning.

 
 A decrease in the intensity of DDoS attacks in Russia was <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/qrator-labs-the-intensity-of-ddos-attacks-in-russia-decreases/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> in March. According to Qrator Labs, a decrease in the number of incidents has been observed since March 9-10.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-qrator-labs-zafiksirovali-uvelichenie-chisla-ddos-atak-v-rossii-na-19-v-pervom-kvartale-2022-goda/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

RB.ru

Qrator Labs Reports 19% Increase in DDoS Attacks in Russia in Q1 2022

<a href="https://ict.moscow/static/ae7c8db6-99cb-5806-b687-6f3cf251df1a.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">According</a> to experts from HSE, in 2021 the total import of ICT goods, services and software in Russia reached 2.62 trillion rubles. This amount represents about 70% of the gross value added in the ICT sector. In 2020, this percentage was 67%, and in 2019 it was 64%.

 
 Computer services and software are imported mainly from Western countries – in 2020, 68% of costs were accounted for by foreign solutions. Asian countries account for almost 85% of imports of ICT products, including 65% accounted for by China.

 
 The authors of the report believe that there will be a decrease in spending on digital technologies in 2022. The reduction of the budgets of companies for ICT goods and services will affect the economy and the social sector. According to expert estimates, these sectors generated a significant part of the demand.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/eksperty-vshe-otsenili-effekty-ot-sanktsii-dlia-otraslei/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

HSE (Higher School of Economics)

HSE Experts Assess the Impact of Sanctions on Industries

ViNR (Video over New Radio) technology was developed as part of the joint program of the National Technology Initiative and Skoltech. It was launched in the 5G pilot zone of Skoltech.

 
 The technology enables users to make high-resolution video calls without third-party applications. According to the developers, to make a video call, it is enough to open the standard Phone application, in which the Video option will appear.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/skoltekh-i-nti-predstavili-tekhnologiiu-videozvonkov-vinr-bez-prilozhenii-v-seti-5g/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

ria.ru

Skoltech and the National Technology Initiative introduced ViNR video calls over 5G network without applications

New Russian satellites will be equipped with Russian microelectronic modules instead of imported chips. However, the satellites that will be launched within the next two years will still have imported chips built into them.

 
 According to the explanations from Nikolay Testoyedov, the CEO of JSC Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev, in the future, domestic satellites will be produced using the Russian component base, but it will not be possible to completely replace foreign chips with similar microcircuits produced in the Russian Federation. According to the expert, 90-95% of the components for new satellites have already been found in the Russian component base.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/novye-rossiiskie-sputniki-ukomplektuiut-otechestvennymi-mikroelektronnymi-moduliami/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Telesputnik

New Russian Satellites to be Equipped with Russian Microelectronic Modules

The government has postponed the execution of contracts for the creation of industrial digital platforms by two years. This decision will allow IT companies that receive state support under such agreements to avoid penalties for disrupting the supplies under existing contracts.

 
 Subsidies that have been provided since 2020 as part of the Digital Technologies federal project can be used by companies to cover up to 50% of the costs of creating software products.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/sroki-ispolneniia-kontraktov-po-sozdaniiu-promyshlennykh-tsifrovykh-platform-prodleny-na-dva-goda/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Finmarket

Deadlines for the Execution of Contracts for the Creation of Industrial Digital Platforms Postponed by Two Years

VK Group will take over the main development of the Russian Android mobile application store, the launch of which is scheduled for the end of May. The Ministry of Digital Development clarified that budgetary funds would not be used for the creation of the store.

 
 Earlier, it was <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/nashstore-app-store-for-android-to-be-launched-in-russia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that developers were considering various payment options for applications compatible with Mir cards. In addition, more than 700 companies will be involved in the project.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/vk-group-stal-osnovnym-razrabotchikom-otechestvennogo-magazina-prilozhenii-na-android/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Interfax

VK Group Becomes the Main Developer of the Russian Android App Store

Yandex does not confirm information about plans to split the company into a Russian one and an international one. “There are no plans to split the company,” the press office of Yandex told ICT.Moscow.

 
 Earlier, the media <a href="https://vc.ru/services/410908-meduza-yandeks-sobiraetsya-razdelitsya-na-dve-kompanii-rossiyskuyu-i-mezhdunarodnuyu" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that Yandex could be divided into two companies. The Russian Yandex will be developed in Russia, while the second company, the international Yandex, will be created by specialists from Yandex and will operate under a different brand and name. The headquarters may be located in Yerevan or Tel Aviv.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-net-nikakikh-planov-po-razdeleniiu-kompanii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex: “There Are No Plans to Split the Company”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has <a href="http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202204250022?index=0&rangeSize=1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">declared</a> 2022-2031 the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia. The relevant decree is published on the official portal of legal information.

 
 According to the document, the main goals are to attract talented young people to the field of research and development, to promote the involvement of researchers and developers in addressing essential tasks of the development of society and the country and to make information about the achievements and prospects of Russian science more available to Russians.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-obiavili-2022-2031-gody-desiatiletiem-nauki-i-tekhnologii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Period from 2022 to 2031 Declared the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia

An innovation microelectronics center will be opened in Moscow this year. The center will be located on the site of the National Research University of Electronic Technology (MIET) in the special economic zone Technopolis Moscow. Specialists of the scientific and production divisions of the center will be engaged in design, engineering, technology transfer and training of personnel in the field of electronics. Investments in the project will be approximately $20.1 million (1.5 billion rubles).

 
 Specialists from the Zelenograd Innovation and Technology Center and Proton plant will work in the center together with scientists from MIET. The creation of the center will help resolve import substitution issues in the electronics industry.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-moskve-v-2022-godu-otkroiut-innovatsionnyi-tsentr-mikroelektroniki/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Microelectronics Innovation Center to be Opened in Moscow in 2022

Mikron (controlled by Element and AFK Sistema) has prepared an investment project for a two-fold increase (up to 6 thousand per month) of capacities for the production of silicon wafers for 180-90 nm chips. The implementation of the project will require 10 billion rubles by 2025. The company expects to receive funds under the scope of the national project for the development of electronics until 2030, which is being developed.

 
 According to the news source of Kommersant, Mikron plans to purchase used equipment for new lines. According to another source close to the government, the project has been sent to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for consideration. The experts from the Ministry of Digital Development say that in the current conditions the need for expansion of capacities is understandable: “demand is provided by reorienting consumers to Russian solutions in the segments of marking, identification, chip cards and other products”.

 
 The number of orders from Russian companies, which need domestic chips for telemetry equipment, Internet of things devices and electronic cards under the conditions the sanctions, has been increasing since the end of February. According to microelectronics market players, Russian manufacturers can buy used equipment from Asian companies and install it using their own resources. But the risk of consumables shortage during capacities expansion still remains.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mikron-k-2025-godu-planiruet-uvelichit-proizvodstvo-kremnievykh-plastin-dlia-vypuska-chipov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Mikron Plans to Increase Production of Silicon Wafers for Chips by 2025

As follows from the list of economic support measures, the government is considering the possibility of introducing uniform rules for telecom operators to access state and municipal infrastructure (buildings, structures, roofs and supports) suitable for deploying communication networks. Spokesperson from the Ministry of Digital Development clarified that the lack of uniform rules affects the provision of communication services, and also increases the time for concluding and performing contracts.

 
 The Ministry also noted that it has developed amendments to the Communications Act, according to which state bodies will assist operators in deploying communications infrastructure at their facilities and independently determine the rules for interacting with operators during the deployment of infrastructure.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/dlia-operatorov-mogut-vvesti-edinye-pravila-dostupa-k-gosudarstvennoi-i-munitsipalnoi-infrastrukture/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Uniform Rules for Access to State and Municipal Infrastructure May be Introduced for Telecom Operators

The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) proposed to exempt telecom operators from paying 1.2% of their revenue from communication services, which are transferred for the development of communications in small towns. The Ministry of Digital Development confirmed that this proposal was being worked out.

 
 According to the data provided by the spokesperson of the Ministry, in 2020-2021 the universal service fund received $202.8 million (15 billion rubles) annually. The main payers were MTS, Beeline, MegaFon and Tele2. General Director of TMT Consulting Konstantin Ankilov notes that these payments are made on a quarterly basis, and they are used to provide telephone and mobile communication services and internet access.

 
 Beeline supported the initiative. MegaFon’s specialists said that “if the measure is introduced, operators will be able to increase investment in the development of networks to ensure their uninterrupted operation”. The experts of Tele2 believe that “a balanced decision is needed, since the digital divide in the development of technology should not increase”. Rostelecom noted that “the task of eliminating the digital divide continues to be relevant under the new conditions”.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/telekom-operatorov-predlozhili-vremenno-osvobodit-ot-uplaty-vznosov-v-fond-universalnogo-obsluzhivaniia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Vedomosti

Telecom Operators Could be Remporarily Exempt from Paying Contributions to the Universal Service Fund

Yandex announced they reduced and suspended many of the planned investments in Russia and abroad due to sanctions. The company’s experts clarified that they were talking about “some investments in the new and experimental services”. Key areas of the company’s business in Russia (search, transport, e-commerce) will <a href="https://t.me/rbc_news/47630" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">continue</a> to be financed. Moreover, Yandex retract its financial forecast for 2022.

 
 The company <a href="https://irpages2.eqs.com/websites/yandex/English/3021/us-sec-filing.html?shortDesc=Annual%20and%20Transition%20Report%20(foreign%20private%20issuer)&format=html&secFilingId=acae5194-78a8-487f-af4e-a98582516e12#YNDX-20211231X20F_HTM__INTRODUCTION_AND_EXPLANATORY" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">expects</a> that the exit of multinational advertisers from the market and reduction of advertising budgets of Russian companies will affect the advertising business of Yandex. At the same time, the company’s taxi service “remains stable”. The experts of Yandex predict a decrease in consumer spending in the e-commerce segment, and say that the amount and range of goods can be reduced.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-priostanovil-investitsii-v-rossii-i-za-rubezhom/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex Suspends Investments in Russia and Abroad

Mobile operators do not agree with the <a href="https://regulation.gov.ru/projects#npa=125848" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">proposal</a> of the Ministry of Digital Development to limit the number of SIM cards per corporate subscriber to 100. According to MTS, Beeline and Tele2, the proposal, which is included in the amendments to the Communications Act, does not take into account the peculiarities of business in some areas (for example, retail or logistics).

 
 Spokeperson from MTS noteed in the comment to the document that “in federal retail with a high turnover of personnel telephone numbers are assigned to each sales point/office, not to a specific employee”. Beeline proposes to increase the maximum number of SIM cards per one employee to 1 thousand. The experts of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media believe the increase in the number of SIM cards may give rise to a new wave of telephone fraud.

 
 “Practice shows that an employee does not need more work SIM cards. Ordinary users of communication services can register an unlimited number of SIM cards for themselves,” the experts of the Ministry explained.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/operatory-ne-soglasny-s-predlozheniem-mintsifry-ogranichit-chislo-sim-kart-do-100-na-odnogo-korporativnogo-abonenta/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Operators Plan to Increase the Number of SIM Cards Per Corporate Customer

O2O Holding (a joint venture between Sberbank and VK Group) is considering selling Local Kitchen, a food delivery service. It can be sold to 2 Berega, a delivery service from St. Petersburg. The deal will allow the company to enter the Moscow market. In total, three-four buyers have applied to buy Local Kitchen, and one of them is the Dostaevsky delivery service.

 
 Local Kitchen was launched in 2017, it operates in Moscow and the Moscow region. In 2020, the company entered the express delivery segment.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/kukhnia-na-raione/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Local Kitchen</a>

<hr />
 
 At the end of March 2022, it was <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/sberbank-and-vk-group-consider-selling-local-kitchen-service/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that O2O Holding planned to sell Local Kitchen. Prior to that, it was also <a href="https://press.sber.ru/publications/o2o-kholding-prodaiot-aktivy-servisa-sitimobil" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> that the holding would sell the Citymobil service to People&People. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q2 2022.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/sber-i-vk-group-mogut-prodat-servis-kukhnia-na-raione/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Forbes

Sberbank and VK Group Could Sell Local Kitchen to St. Petersburg-Based Delivery Companies 

Accredited IT companies will be able to get a preferential loan at a rate of 3%, provided that companies maintain at least 85% of the average number of employees as of March 1, 2022.

 
 According to the government <a href="http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202204190019?index=2&rangeSize=1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">decree</a>, companies will also have to provide annual indexation of salaries at the rates of inflation, and will not be able to declare and pay dividends while the contract is in force.

 
 Loans will be provided for the development, implementation and purchase of Russian products, services and platform solutions in the IT field.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/pravitelstvo-utverdilo-pravila-vydachi-lgotnykh-kreditov-it-kompaniiam/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Government Approved Providing Preferential Loans to IT Companies

HSE University and Sberbank presented an <a href="https://ict.moscow/research/proryvnye-innovatsii-chelovek-2-0/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">overview</a> of technologies that will have the greatest impact on human life (the document was prepared in January). These technologies include:

<ul>
 <li>assistive technologies; the size of the Russian market in 2020 was estimated at $528-792 million (40-60 billion rubles), the global market will grow to $31.5 billion by 2027;</li>
 <li>autonomous vehicles; according to the forecasts, the Russian market will amount to $4 billion by 2030, and the global market will be estimated at $557 billion by 2026;</li>
 <li>neurotechnologies; the Russian market in 2024 can be valued at $106 million (8 billion rubles), while the global market can be estimated at $15 billion;</li>
 <li>cybersecurity technologies; in 2021, the Russian market was estimated at $1,3 billion 9(8.6 billion rubles), the global market will be estimated at $276 billion by 2025;</li>
 <li>augmented intelligence technologies; the Russian AI solutions market in 2019 amounted to $139 million, the global market will be estimated at $554.3 billion by 2024;</li>
 <li>AR/VR/MR technologies; in 2020, the Russian AR/VR market was valued at $18.5 million (1.4 billion rubles), the global AR market will amount to $340 billion by 2028.</li>
</ul>

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/ii-neirotekhnologii-ar-vr-voshli-v-chislo-proryvnykh-tekhnologii-budushchego/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Sberbank

AI, Neurotechnologies, AR/VR Included in the Breakthrough Technologies of the Future

Yandex has <a href="https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">published</a> the source code of YDB distributed database management system. It allows users to create scalable, fault-tolerant services that can withstand a large operational load.

 
 YDB can process millions of requests per second and maintain performance in the event of a server or data center failure. Specialists of Alice, Yandex.Taxi, Yandex.Market, Yandex.Metrics and other services work with projects using YDB. The code is available under the Apache 2.0 open source license.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-market/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Market</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/alisa/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Alice</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-go/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Taxi</a>

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-opublikoval-iskhodnyi-kod-sistemy-upravleniia-bazami-dannykh-ydb/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Habr

Yandex Releases Source Code of YDB Database Management System

The government plans to increase the number of specialists in the field of radio electronics by 2030 from 1 thousand to 9 thousand annually. In total, the government intends to additionally train and retain about 60 thousand specialists in this field during the period of 7-8 years.

 
 For this purpose, it is proposed to provide end-to-end training and personnel management from schools to universities and places of employment, create laboratories in universities jointly with enterprises, increase enrollment for specialized departments, involve students in research and development and launch about 25 ‘youth laboratories’ every year. This goal is stated in the updated version of the presentation of the new national project for the development of the radio electronics industry.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/okolo-60-tys-spetsialistov-v-sfere-radioelektroniki-planiruetsia-podgotovit-dopolnitelno-k-2030-godu/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

60 Thousand Additional Radio Electronics Specialists to be Trained by 2030

Articles

Tech in Moscow

exclusive

analytics

Columns

Digest about AI in Russia

interview

ICT.Moscow  — Market in Brief

At
the beginning of July, a video with a driverless Yandex.Rover in the streets of
Moscow appeared online. The technology is supposed to become a useful tool in
e-commerce - it is evident from the fact that Amazon corporation launched
similar rovers in the summer of 2019.

<div>
 <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
 src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/f0c69ba0-fc75-5b47-b36d-ea07cb40845d.gif">
</div>

 
 Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://t.me/rian_ru/44820">RIA Novosti</a>

 
 ICT.Moscow
decided to learn about Yandex’s plans on implementing the technology in Russian
e-commerce and asked about the peculiarities of working on driverless
transport. The representative of the company revealed where the rovers have
already been implemented, spoke about their readiness for real operation and
explained the details of the development of a universal technology for
self-driving vehicles.

 
 Read
the interview of ICT.Moscow to learn where the delivery robots will appear
first, when the driverless transport technology will be ready for operation in
the most difficult road conditions and where and why Yandex tests its
self-driving cars.

<hr />
 
 —&nbsp;You
started to use Yandex.Rover in the streets of Moscow. Does it mean that the
technology will soon be ready for operation in real-life conditions?

 
 —
We have been using our rovers in the streets of Moscow for quite a long time
for collecting data, testing and training algorithms. This time a journalist
was nearby, and he shot the standard working process.

 
 In
terms of operation, we have already conducted several pilot projects and the
first launch of the robot outside the Yandex ecosystem. We started to develop
Rover in the summer of 2019, and already in November we conducted the first
trial - the robot was delivering documents and small parcels within our
headquarters. November was a good time to launch Rover because of the weather
conditions: the robots had to deal with rain, snow and ice. The robot
leapfrogged favorable weather conditions and faced harsh Russian realities
straight away.

 
 In
February this year we carried out a test integration with “Beru” service. The
piloting was linked to February 14th, when there was a high demand for
delivering a large number of parcels. However, only Yandex employees could use
the delivery - Rover picked up parcels at a single center and delivered them to
buildings.

 
 In
April, the robot got its first serious job - it started to operate at Skolkovo.
The territory of the center is arranged in the way that the buildings of
different offices are situated at a certain distance from each other.
Previously, the employees had to use a car to get to several places to exchange
documents and correspondence. With Rover it is no longer needed - the robot
took over this function. Its route there is about 2-3 km. 

 
 In
fact, Skolkovo buys robot delivery service from us, so, technically, it is the
first commercial integration of the technology.

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 Less than a year has passed since the emergence of “let’s create a robot” idea till the first commercial application.
 </div>
 
 —&nbsp;In
other words, is the technology ready for real-life application? What are the
plans for further implementation of Rover in real commercial and business
processes?

 
 —
We are currently negotiating with several other companies interested in small
cargo delivery using robots. We expect that Rover will fit into Yandex
ecosystem, including FoodTech sector, which has become more in-demand than
before due to the pandemic.

 
 Such
delivery robots allow to successfully develop e-commerce in general. This
sector is rapidly growing and requires more and more people at different
stages. In the USA there is a shortage of staff in the cargo transportation,
because young people are reluctant to enter this profession. Such rovers are
able to meet the increasing demand for water, food and goods delivery.

 
 If
we talk about the possible range of application of such rovers, there are many
tasks in logistics that can be automated using these robots. They not only can
drive through the streets and deliver documents, parcels and food, but also can
be used within warehouses. When we announced the introduction of the robot
within the company, our colleagues from data centers, which occupy large areas,
showed a great interest in it. In case there is a need to deliver two ram cards
from one point of the data center to another, a rover can help. 

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 The main range of self-driving couriers use includes the services where last mile delivery is needed, primarily e-commerce and warehouse logistics.
 </div>
 
 —&nbsp;The
operation process within data centers and warehouses in quite clear, but Rover
will also be operating in the streets, with a large number of road users and
unpredictable situations. To what extent is the technology ready for urban
environment?

 
 —
The technologies that were perfected and tested in driverless vehicles helped
us a lot. We had to rebuild some algorithms, but the basic principles are the
same. It was one of the reasons why we managed to carry out Rover piloting so
soon: it comprises many skills that have already been developed. Moreover, the
scenarios of use are more simple, even in terms of safety: a car drives at
about 60km/h, so the safety requirements are much higher. 

 
 Rovers
drive on sidewalks at an average speed of 5 km/h, in bike lanes the speed can
be higher (this scenario is being tested in Skolkovo). They have already learnt
to accurately detect and recognize the signals of pedestrian traffic lights (in
the same way as a self-driving car detects turning arrows). But currently there
is a difficulty with uncontrolled pedestrian crossings, as it is not clear how
Rover should behave at them - it is neither a car, nor a pedestrian. So far,
the solution is as follows: the robot will let a car pass, but if it
understands the driver sees it and lets the robot pass, Rover will drive across
the crossing.

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 One of the main tasks of machine learning in self-driving transport is to learn to predict the behavior of other road users.
 </div>
 
 It
is not enough to determine where they are driving or going and forecast their
trajectory - intentions are more important. Especially in case with
self-driving vehicles: will the pedestrian. standing at the median strip, cross
the road or not?

 
 To
determine this, neural networks use all available data on the object and the
environment. For example, in case with a car it will be the position in the
lane, steering angle, previous acceleration, road environment, etc. Moreover,
such scenarios have been tested many times in real road conditions. If in the
previous 10 thousand similar episodes a person (a driver or a pedestrian)
behaved in a certain way, in the new episode we can predict future behavior.

<div>
 <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
 src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/f93cf2bc-670c-520b-90b6-6e87f7e0794c.png">
</div>

 
 Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGlf14a7fAQ">Yandex</a>

 
 —&nbsp;And
what about security? Rovers will have to deliver value parcels as well. Is it
safe to leave the unattended?

 
 —
Firstly, they are not left unattended. There are GPS tracker and various
sensors and cameras in each Rover. If the robot considers something went wrong,
for example, if it deviates from the set course, it will send a signal to the
operator, who will be able to access remotely and see what is going on.

 
 Secondly,
a Rover is quite heavy, so it will not be easy to carry it away. Even if
someone manages to do it - what for? You do not know what is inside, and it
will not be easy to pick the lock. If someone succeeds, there can be an
inexpensive product from an online shop. It will also be difficult to resell
the parts of Rover: it will be clear where the part came from. And again, GPS
trackers are installed in Rovers, and they allow to track its movement, just
like in car sharing. 

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 There are not so many scenarios in which something threatens a rover.
 </div>
 
 —&nbsp;You
said that the developments for self-driving car were used in Rovers. So, it is
a universal technology for unmanned transport that requires a minor adaptation,
right?

 
 —
Absolutely correct. Once again, Rovers drive in more simple conditions than
self-driving cars, with&nbsp; more factors to
consider during operation. We will have to pilot self-driving vehicles in
different countries to create a technology that can be implemented worldwide -
only Russia is not enough for this task.

 
 There
are unique things in the USA, which cannot be seen anywhere in the world. For
example, a four-way stop, where the rule about the right of way, according to
which the right-of-way should be yielded to the vehicle on the right, does not
apply. If you arrive at the intersection first, you can continue driving. In
Tel Aviv, where we also test unmanned vehicles, there are things that are not
so common in Russia, but can be seen in other countries. For example,
roundabouts are not very popular in Russia, but in Europe they are practically
the main element of road infrastructure. In Tel Aviv there are a lot of
two-wheeled vehicles: mopeds, self-balancing unicycles, scooters, bicycles,
electric scooters, etc. 

 
 In
Moscow and in Russia in general we also do have these things, but there are
many more of them in Tel Aviv (and they are available all year round - one more
advantage in for training self-driving vehicles algorithms). If we are able to
drive in difficult conditions in Tel Aviv, and then will go to Italy, for
instance, we will be able to drive with scooters, on roundabouts and will be
prepared for other peculiarities.

 
 It
is also important to take the local driving culture into consideration. In Tel
Aviv, for example, you should be very persistent to drive.

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 If you are polite and give way to other cars, you will not drive far.
 </div>
 
 We
noticed this feature in Las Vegas. Local residents, after taking a ride in our
self-driving vehicles, noted that the car changes lanes very quickly. It can be
explained with the peculiarities of driving in Moscow: you have to be quick to
change lanes. In the US it is easier - the people are in no hurry and will give
way to you. We configured the system to drive like locals - we changed settings
so the car could change lanes more smoothly. And Tel Aviv, on the contrary,
teaches you to be more persistent. This experience will be useful for us in
Moscow as well.

<div>
 <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
 src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/d9b1ac1e-196b-5761-9169-d2edfe421001.png">
</div>

 
 Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97kpp_8QGuIъ">Israeli TV</a>

 
 —&nbsp;V2X
infrastructure can be of great help for self-driving vehicles, it allows the
car&nbsp; to exchange information with road
infrastructure objects and other vehicles. How actively is this area developing
in Yandex?

 
 —
That also brings us to the issue of technology’s versatility. If we create a
technology that should be safe and applicable anywhere, we should rely only on
ourselves. Communications with infrastructure and other driverless vehicles is
good and useful, and we are testing such scenarios. But we cannot rely on them
and make them an indispensable condition. 

 
 For
example, a person ordered an self-driving taxi to a location that is far away,
with no infrastructure and no self-driving vehicles around. The vehicle should
be able to drive safely by itself - as if there was V2X infrastructure around
it.

 
 Moreover,
different countries have their infrastructure with their standards of data
transmission. This problem exists, even without V2X infrastructure. For
example, in the USA there are traffic lights that have eight different signals,
including a yellow flashing arrow. 

 
 In
general, the possibility of receiving information about the signals one
kilometer before the traffic lights is a good advantage. Having this
information, the vehicle can adjust the speed, plan the motion path in order to
cross the intersection as efficiently as possible, with minimum fuel and time
consumption. This is a nice bonus, but it is still extremely important to be
able to recognize traffic lights signals using vehicle’s vision. 

 
 It
is not always possible to rely on 5G in data transmission. Firstly, 5G coverage
is available not everywhere. Secondly, the signal can be unstable even if the network
is available. All these are additional risk factors.

 
 Finally,
imagine how much the dependence on V2X infrastructure could postpone the launch
of self-driving vehicles. Then it would be necessary to re-equip all roads,
which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process and requires a lot of
investment. If we want self-driving vehicles to be implemented on roads and
provide services (taxi, for instance) as soon as the regulatory measures are
finalized, relying on V2X is not practical.

<div>
 <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
 src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/f9c48bd4-df84-5ec3-af78-90d74dd7999e.png">
</div>

 
 Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa3A4X6YYgk">Yandex</a>

 
 —&nbsp;So,
if the self-driving couriers and vehicles&nbsp;
technology is ready for commercial use, do we have to wait only for the
finalization of the Russian regulatory measures?

 
 —
In case with rovers, no additional regulation is required.

 
 As
for unmanned cars, in general, we are ready to launch the corresponding
services in small cities, with not very intensive traffic. We managed to test
such a service in Innopolis, where it has been operating for about two years
now. The conditions similar to Innopolis are already suitable for launching
such services. 

 
 As
has already been mentioned, the most difficult task for self-driving vehicles
is to predict intentions. The more road users&nbsp;
there are around the vehicle - the less predictable the environment
becomes.

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 The trajectory for the emergence of self-driving vehicles will be roughly as follows: small cities — suburbs of large cities — centers of large cities.
 </div>
 
 Rush
hour in the center of Moscow is the most unpredictable time for road traffic.
With the increase in the number of cars, the number of traffic rules violations
also grows. The traffic in the center of major cities poses a challenge to
self-driving vehicles, which needs to be solved.

 
 Of
course, now unmanned cars can drive during rush hour in Moscow safely, without
creating emergency situations for other road users and themselves. But it will
take them more time to drive through difficult junctions than it would take an
experienced driver. In every ambiguous situation the vehicle will give way to
other road users.

 
 But
when data accumulates, the situation will change. It can be compared to an
ordinary person - it is probably not a good idea to drive in the center of
Moscow during rush hour right after getting a driving license, when you are still
learning to drive. As you gain experience, you will be able to drive well even
in heavy traffic. This is a task we will have to solve.

<div class="incut-block incut-block-text-small-size">
 In terms of technology, it will take us about three or four years.
 </div>
 
 In
May, it was revealed how and when the regulations concerning self-driving
vehicles would be finalized in Russia. Yandex has also taken part in developing
the plan for phased implementation of self-driving vehicles. During the
conversation with ICT.Moscow, the representative of the company said that the
document was being finalized and would be submitted to Vladimir Putin for
approval at the end of August.

<hr />
 
 ICT.Moscow spoke with Yulia Shveyko, Head of Media
Relations for Self-Driving Cars of Yandex.

ICT.Moscow spoke with a representative of the Yandex team about the commercial launch of driverless rovers, their readiness to work in real-life conditions and the development of universal technology for self-driving vehicles.