The testing of driverless vehicles without test engineers in the cabins will soon take place in Moscow and several other cities, according to the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.

 
 The Ministry will select the cities where experiments with fully autonomous vehicles will be executed for the longest timespan. They include Moscow, St. Petersburg, as well as the territories of Skolkovo and Innopolis (Tatarstan).

 
 According to market participants, they still have to solve a number of tasks, including teaching cars to drive in difficult weather conditions, for example, in fog or heavy snowfall as well as effectively predicting the traffic situation, including violations of the rules by other road users.

 
 In July 2021, The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/subsidies-for-driveless-testing-in-russia-prolong-for-2022/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">made </a>a draft government decree proposing to extend the granting of subsidies for testing unmanned vehicles on public roads until 2022.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/projects/ai/news/1760/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

rg.ru

Moscow Soon to Test Fully Autonomous Vehicles

Yandex has moved logistic subdivision of the <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-market/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Market</a> marketplace into a separate company Market.Operations.

 
 The main activity of the company will be warehousing and storage, according to the data of the Russian Unified State Register of Legal Entities (<a href="https://egrul.nalog.ru/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">USRLE</a>). Such optimization will improve the quality of management of logistics facilities, company’s representatives note.

 
 Currently Yandex.Market operates warehouses in the Moscow region, as well as St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov and Samara regions.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-vydelil-logistiku-iandeks-marketa-v-otdelnuiu-kompaniiu/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>

TASS

Yandex Creates a Separate Company for its Logistics Business 

Starting from August 14, 2021, ride-hailing services in Moscow and the Moscow region will have to transfer orders only to drivers who have a digital ID linked to a profile in the Taxi Analytics integrated information system.

 
 The profile is created via Gosuslugi, a portal of public services, and contains information on driver's license, permission to transport passengers, fines, passing a pre-trip medical examination and other data. It is expected that with the help of this system, overworking by taxi drivers will be excluded.

 
 Almost 80 thousand taxi drivers have now received digital IDs, which is 60% of all taxi permits issued in Moscow and its region.

 
 The system is intended for the purpose of recording violations. In 2019, the Deputy Mayor of Moscow Maxim Liksutov announced a system to restrict access to orders to taxi drivers who committed violations. Back then, it was assumed as a digital "gateway" between ride-hailing services and taxi drivers, which would block the transfer of orders in the event of revealed facts of processing.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-moskve-i-oblasti-zapushchena-sistema-monitoringa-raboty-taksistov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>

Kommersant

A New System for Monitoring Taxi Drivers’ Work Launched in Moscow

The volume of the Russian voice AI market will reach $80 million or $120 million in 2021, taking into account government orders, according to <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/research/voice-ai-in-russia-2020-2025/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the new analyses</a> from Just AI. The industry is adding 46-93% from year to year and the company expects it to maintain its growth dynamics from 38% to 81%, reaching $561 million by 2025.

 
 Among major market players Just AI include themselves, with annual revenue of $6.8 million (500 million rubles), followed by companies with income over $2.7 million (200 million rubles): Yandex.Cloud (speech technologies), 3iTech (solutions for the public sector) and ATS Aero.

 
 In the group of companies with annual revenues of over $1.3 million (100 million rubles), analysts noted <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/nanosemantika/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nanosemantics </a>(NLP / NLU / DM platforms), <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/neuro-net/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Neuro.net</a>, and <a href="https://zvonobot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Zvonobot </a>(outbound telemarketing). In general, there are more than 100 companies on the market, including small startups.

 
 As an independent segment, experts identified solutions for government customers, which are the largest consumer of conversational AI. In their segment, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Speech_Technology_Center" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Speech Technology Center (STC group)</a>, owned by <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Sberbank" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sberbank</a>, is leading with more than 80% of its revenue ($20 million a year) brought to it by government contracts, the study says.

 
 Contrary to the conclusions of Just AI, deals for the commercial segment prevail in the structure of STC's revenue in the field of conversational AI, Dmitry Dyrmovsky, the CEO of STC, argues. He agrees with the current market estimates, but the projected growth rate might be 15% lower. Among the major government customers for such services, he pointed to the Multifunctional Center (MFC), a service state network of public and municipal electronic centers that seeks to optimize its client service.

<hr />
 
 Connect with 

 
 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpetrov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kirill Petrov</a>, founder and managing director of <a href="https://just-ai.com/en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Just AI</a>

 
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dyrmovsky" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">Dmitry Dyrmovsky</a>, the CEO of <a href="https://speechpro.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">Speech Technology Center</a>

<hr />
 
 To learn more about Russian solutions in the field of digital assistant industry, read ICT.Moscow’s overview “<a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/smart-assistants-in-russia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Smart assistants in Russia: market overview, trends and prospects</a>”, where we spoke to 17 lead experts in the market.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/projects/ai/news/1754/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>

RB.ru

Russian Voice AI Market to Reach $120 Million in 2021

T<a href="https://www.grfc.ru/grfc/eng/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">he General Radio Frequency Centre (GRFC)</a>, a Russian regulatory body, has approved the use of 6.7-6.8 GHz band by <a href="https://niir.ru/en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Radio Research Institute</a> (NIIR) for research, experimental, and design work using 5G, according to the <a href="https://digital.gov.ru/ru/documents/7981/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">minutes</a> of the GRFC’ meeting on August 2. NIIR will be able to operate with the indicated frequencies on its own territory in Moscow. The 6.7-6.8 GHz frequency is part of the 6.425-7.1 GHz band. As previously specified by Russian telecoms operators, the 6-7 GHz range is mainly used for radio-fixing aids and radio relay lines. This range was not allocated for the operation of mobile networks by the International Telecommunication Union.

 
 The fact that NIIR plans to conduct tests for the development of 5G networks in the 6 GHz band by the end of 2021 was <a href="https://iz.ru/1082264/anna-ustinova-aleksei-ramm/chastotnaia-nedostatochnost-dlia-5g-predlozhili-novyi-diapazon-6ggtc?destination=node/1082264" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> in November. As the deputy CEO of NIIR Evgeny Devyatkin said, the 6.425-7.1 GHz band is not an alternative, but an addition to the 3.4-3.8 GHz and 4.4-4.99 GHz bands.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/nauchno-issledovatelskii-institut-radio-protestiruet-diapazon-6-7-6-8-ggts-dlia-5g/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

CNews

Russian Radio Research Institute to Test 5G on 6.7-6.8 GHz Band

According to Morgan Stanley analyses, Yandex Self-Driving Group is one of the ten largest global companies in the field of driverless vehicles, with its valuation estimated at $7 billion, Forbes reports. However, experts say that the self-driving car companies of global competitors, Alphabet, Tesla, and General Motors, are valued several times more. To maintain leadership, the company needs to invest more in R&D and expansion of its vehicle fleet, which now consists of 170 cars, the report says.

 
 The company is expected to look for an external investor next year. According to Morgan Stanley, the key risks in their assessment are regulation, as well as the unpredictable amount of time for the technology development. An additional risk will be posed if one of Yandex's unmanned vehicles is involved in a serious accident.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/morgan-stanley-otsenil-kompaniiu-po-razrabotke-bespilotnykh-avtomobilei-iandeksa-v-7-mlrd/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Forbes

Morgan Stanley Values Yandex's Driverless Company at $7 Billion

According to Morgan Stanley analyses, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/bespilotnik-yandexa/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex Self-Driving Group</a> is one of the ten largest global companies in the field of driverless vehicles, with its valuation estimated at $7 billion, Forbes reports.

 
 However, experts say that the self-driving car companies of global competitors, Alphabet, Tesla, and General Motors, are valued several times more. To maintain leadership, the company needs to invest more in R&D and expansion of its vehicle fleet, which now consists of 170 cars, the report says.

 
 The company is expected to look for an external investor next year. According to Morgan Stanley, the key risks in their assessment are regulation, as well as the unpredictable amount of time for the technology development. An additional risk will be posed if one of Yandex's unmanned vehicles is involved in a serious accident.


 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/morgan-stanley-otsenil-kompaniiu-po-razrabotke-bespilotnykh-avtomobilei-iandeksa-v-7-mlrd/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

On August 2, <a href="https://www.grfc.ru/grfc/eng/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the General Radio Frequency Centre (GRFC)</a>, a Russian regulatory body, prolonged the current permits to use the frequencies of 700 MHz, 800 MHz, and 2.5-2.7 GHz for LTE networks for another 10 years term, RBC reports.

 
 According to Newspaper’s sources, the decision contains a number of requirements for telecoms companies:

<ul>
 <li>starting from 2023, they will have to use only equipment included in the register of Russian electronic products and software from the register of domestic software in the construction of LTE networks;</li>
 <li>by September 8, 2024, they must provide LTE coverage in 100% of localities with a population of more than 1,000 people;</li>
 <li>by September 8, 2031, they must cover 99.9% of federal roads with LTE networks.</li>
</ul>

 
 Telecoms operators also told RBC about the repercussions of such measures. For instance, operator MegaFon clarified that the company already "prioritizes the provision of LTE not only in large cities but their environs as well". However, in order to fulfill such conditions, the company will have to invest in digitalization of the most remote regions and sections of federal highways, where building 4G infrastructure is costly. According to the operator's forecasts, the amount of investments to cover these areas with LTE is estimated at $1.3 billion (100 billion rubles).

 
 MTS expressed its willingness to purchase the "competitive Russian equipment with the required characteristics, quality, and prices" in accordance with the requirements from GRFC.

 
 Tele 2 Russia of T2 RTK Holding (a subsidiary of Rostelecom, which operates under the Tele2 brand) will have to evaluate future investments after an additional assessment. Earlier, the company <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/tele2-wants-officials-to-ease-requirements-for-lte-license-renewal/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">expressed </a>its position on the matter, according to which new requirements for LTE equipment should only apply to new construction, without rebuilding all existing networks.

 
 At the time of this writing, the official document from the <a href="https://digital.gov.ru/ru/documents/?department=43-7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">GRFC</a> has not been released yet.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/gkrch-prodlila-litsenzii-na-lte-s-dopolnitelnymi-usloviiami/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Telecoms in Russia Get 10-year LTE License Renewal with New Requirements

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) plans to create a unified map of financial access points based on <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandeks-karty/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Maps</a>, a digital mapping service by Russian tech giant <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Yandex" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex</a>, Vedomosti reports.

 
 The map will facilitate monitoring of citizens and businesses that may be at risk of digital inequality, considering that Internet access is not yet available in all inhabited areas in Russia and many customers can't afford to use remote service in favor of physical access points.

 
 According to CBR’s report on the development of the financial sector through 2024, it intends to use the information provided by financial institutions and integrate it into Yandax.Map, which the regulator considers “one of the leading Russian mapping services”.

 
 In March, the CBR made an agreement with Yandex for procurement of a mapping service, but the procurement was canceled due to the fact that Yandex was the only participant in the competition. The project is expected to cost $848,000 (62 million rubles). 

 
 After implementation, users will be able to see the location of ATMs and bank offices based on official information from the Central Bank. Among other categories of financial services, the map will include microfinance organizations, credit consumer cooperatives, pawnshops, insurance entities, and professional brokers. The map will also indicate post offices where users can conduct banking transactions, ATMs, cashless payment terminals, as well as cash-out points.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/bank-rossii-zapustit-kartu-tochek-dostupa-k-finansovym-uslugam-na-baze-iandeks-kart/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Vedomosti

Yandex and CBR to Launch a Mapping Service for Financial Access Points in Russia 

The Ministry of Economic Development <a href="https://ict.moscow/static/6b4024ba-ea87-5dbe-971d-45f80c9f063f.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">approved </a>the criteria for Russian projects to be considered as belonging to the field of AI and to get government support as part of the <a href="https://www.economy.gov.ru/material/departments/d01/razvitie_iskusstvennogo_intellekta/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">National strategy for the development of artificial development through 2030</a>. According to the document, a project belongs to the field of artificial intelligence if it:

<ul>
 <li>provides for the creation, development, and (or) implementation of AI as a technology that makes it possible to imitate the cognitive functions of a person and obtain results comparable to his intellectual activity;</li>
 <li>involves the creation, development, and (or) implementation of at least one AI technology (computer vision, natural language processing, speech recognition, and synthesis, intelligent decision support, etc.);</li>
 <li>focuses on the creation, development, and (or) implementation of specialized software, hardware, electronic component base, tools for developers, data sets.</li>
</ul>

 
 The document also provides a list of technological tasks that an AI project should solve to get government support. Overall, there are around 60 listed in the document, including such stacks as computer vision (17), natural language processing (12), speech recognition and synthesis, IODSS (16), emerging methods in AI (2).

 
 The National strategy for the development of artificial development through 2030 was signed by President Putin on October 10, 2019. Get insight on international AI regulation in ICT.Moscow's insight "<a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/2020-ai-regulation/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Results of 2020: time for detailed regulation of artificial intelligence</a>".

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/minekonomrazvitiia-utverdilo-kriterii-prinadlezhnosti-k-proektam-v-sfere-ii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

TAdviser

Russian Officials Defined AI Projects for Government Support Program

According to the roadmap "New Communication Internet Technologies", the Russian government plans to increase the export of domestic cloud gaming services by 55 times by 2030: from $2.9 million (212 million rubles) in 2020 to $160 million (11.7 billion rubles) in 2030, Kommersant reports.

 
 Sales in the domestic market, according to the publication, will grow at the same rate: from $10.9 million (0.8 billion rubles) in 2020 to $607 million (44.3 billion rubles) in 2030. It is expected that the Russian audience of cloud gaming platforms should by this time increase from 180 thousand to 10 million people.

 
 The proposed targets will be achieved by supporting companies with grants via the <a href="https://fasie.ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Innovation Promotion Fund</a>.

 
 The document also clarifies that several trends were taken into account when calculating the targets: the growth of gaming by 5.9% per year, a pandemic and a massive transition to teleworking, as well as the deployment of 5G networks, which will minimize delays in the information transmission.

 
 Roadmap "<a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/gaming-courses-to-be-introduced-to-russian-state-universities-programs/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">New Communication Internet Technologies</a>" also implies the launch of educational programs in e-sports, courses in data analysis, the development of computer games, and the use of technology in the creation of films and other content at universities.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/pravitelstvo-planiruet-uvelichit-eksport-oblachnogo-geiminga-v-55-raz-k-2030-godu/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Russia to Increase the Export of Cloud Gaming 55 times by 2030

Considering company’s faster than expected growth, Russian tech giant <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Yandex" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex</a> is planning to spend around $650 million on e-commerce this year, Chief Financial Officer Svetlana Demyashkevich <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/russias-yandex-says-q2-adj-net-income-up-34-yy-upgrades-revenue-outlook-2021-07-28/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">told</a> Reuters. About half of the investments will be directed to expanding the logistics infrastructure, developing the company's own logistics platform, and improving e-commerce business. According to the company's forecasts, group e-commerce gross merchandise volumes (GMV) for 2021 will increase three-fold compared to 2020.

 
 The company has updated the forecast for investments in the e-commerce direction (including marketplace <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-market/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Market</a> and foodtech services <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/iandeks-lavka/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Lavka</a>, and <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-eats/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Eats</a>) due to its accelerated growth. The plan to invest around $650 million in e-commerce will allow its GMV to grow 33% faster this year, Demyashkevich said.

 
 Previously, the company planned to invest around $400-500 million in e-commerce.

 
 Earlier Yandex <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/yandex-reports-strong-second-quarter-results-plans-to-spend-650-ml-on-e-commerce/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> strong second-quarter financial results and upgraded forecast of its 2021 revenue, expecting its total group revenues to be $4.49-$4.63 billion (330-340 billion rubles) for 2021, up from $4.13-$4.46 billion (315-330 billion rubles). Group e-commerce GMV for this period <a href="http://to%20%24475%20million%20(35.1%20billion%20rubles)." target="_blank" rel="nofollow">increased</a> 2.5 times compared to the same period last year to $475 million (35.1 billion rubles).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-investiruet-v-napravlenie-e-commerce-650-do-kontsa-goda/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Interfax

Yandex Plans to Spend $650 Million on E-Commerce

Government officials propose to launch educational programs at state universities on esports, data analysis, computer game development, and the use of technology in the creation of films and other content by the end of 2022 as part of the "<a href="https://digital.gov.ru/ru/events/41196/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">New Communication Internet Technologies"</a> roadmap implementation. The roadmap was developed by federal executive authorities, as well as Russia's leading telephone provider <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Rostelecom" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Rostelecom </a>and <a href="https://anodialog.ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dialogue</a>, a non-profit Moscow-based organization for managing citizen appeals. The total amount of financing for the entire program until 2024 is estimated at around $239.1 million (17.6 billion rubles), of which $116.8 million (8.6 billion rubles) must be allocated from the federal budget. Rostelecom, according to Kommersant, proposed introducing e-sports programs. "Computer games develop creativity, the ability to make quick decisions, manage stress and even develop cognitive abilities," the company explained. E-sports courses exists in several international universities, including StarCraft courses at UC Berkeley, University of Florida, and New York University, Rostelecom added.

 
 As for now, courses on game software development are only introduced at St. Petersburgs’s ITMO university, gaming industry expert Maksim Fomichev noted. “Russian game market grew by 35% in 2020 against the backdrop of the pandemic, which inevitably leads to an increased demand for qualified specialists,” CEO of MY.GAMES (Mail.ru Group) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vmaguryan" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Vasily Maguryan</a> told Kommersant.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-vuzakh-planiruiut-zapustit-obrazovatelnye-programmy-po-kibersportu-i-analizu-dannykh/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>

Gaming and IT Courses to be Introduced in Russian State Universities  

Russian tech giant <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Yandex" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex</a> <a href="https://ir-docs.s3.yandex.net/financials/2021/yndx_Current_Folio_6K_Ex99_1_FINAL%20with%20LOGO.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> strong second quarter financial results and upgraded forecast of its 2021 revenue. Based on recent performance, the company expects its total group revenues to be $4.49-$4.63 billion (330-340 billion rubles) for 2021, up from $4.13-$4.46 billion (315-330 billion rubles) previously, Yandex said.

 
 Second-quarter revenue soared 70% year-on-year to $1.1 billion (81.4 billion rubles). Non-ad revenue accounted for 51% of revenues. The biggest growth showed in the company’s taxi segment (including Yandex Go and Uber Russia, foodtech Yandex.Eats and logistics), 114% to $380 million (2.8 billion rubles). Total number of rides increased 104%.

 
 Yandex.Market marketplace gross merchandise volumes (GMV) rose 144%, while the share of GMV sold by third-party sellers reached 70%. Media services segment, which includes subscription services Yandex Plus, Yandex.Music, KinoPoisk, Yandex.Afisha and production center Yandex.Studio, rose 141% to $556 million (4.8 billion rubles). The Classifieds segment (including Auto.ru, Yandex.Realty, Yandex.Jobs, and Yandex Classifieds) jumped 125% year-to-year to $258 million (1.9 billion rubles).

 
 The company's share in the Russian search market in the first quarter of 2021 averaged 59.7% vs 59.6% a year earlier.

 
 Earlier this week, Yandex <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/new-food-delivery-service-by-yandex-to-launch-in-uk/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> its plans to launch its food delivery service in the UK under the brand Yango Deli.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-povysil-prognoz-po-vyruchke-za-2021-god-do-330-340-mlrd-rublei/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex

Yandex Reports Strong Second Quarter Results

The government commission for digital development, the use of information technology to improve the quality of life and the conditions for doing business has approved a new roadmap on the development of new Internet technologies. The document assumes the achievement of several targets by 2024, RBC reports. By 2024, the accuracy of domestic solutions for detecting deepfake content, as well as news feeds spread by bots should reach 70%. In 2021, this figure should be 55%.

 
 Among other targets is the growth of the Russian audience of video services to 96 million users (from 63 million in 2020), audiences of complex communication platforms to 108 million (from 74 million), and domestic cloud gaming platforms to 2.31 million (from 0.18 million).

 
 In addition, the document assumes the development of a number of services, including the following:

<ul>
 <li>recommendation based on predictions of user behavior;</li>
 <li>services for intelligent analysis of the video stream based on the entire stream data and systems for identifying news feed distribution chains and identifying news feeds distributed by bots;</li>
 <li>services for selecting interlocutors based on interests, needs in social networks, etc.;</li>
 <li>a software package for automatic generation of titles for audiovisual content, including speech recognition and translation-to-text platform;</li>
 <li>a service to identify violations of citizens' rights on the internet based on automatic analysis of communication environments, etc.</li>
</ul>

 
 Еhe projects will be financed by grants from the Fund for the Promotion of Innovation and extra-budgetary sourcesб RBC adds.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/borbu-s-dipfeikami-propisali-v-dorozhnoi-karte-razvitiia-novykh-internet-tekhnologii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Russian Government to Fight Deepfake 

On July 27, Russia submitted to the special committee of the United Nations (UN) a draft convention on countering the use of ICT technologies for criminal purposes, CNews reports. This makes Russia the first country to present such document, according to the <a href="https://eng.genproc.gov.ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Prosecutor General's Office</a>.

 
 Currently, the draft has not been published yet. The document takes into account modern challenges and threats in the field of international information security, including the criminal use of cryptocurrency. It also provides descriptions for new crimes committed using ICT, such as distribution of counterfeit medical products, drug trafficking, involvement of minors in committing illegal acts, etc.

 
 In addition, the draft convention expands the scope of international cooperation in such issues as extradition and legal assistance in criminal cases, including identification, arrest, confiscation, and return of assets, according to CNews.

 
 At the end of 2020, Russia ranked <a href="https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Pages/global-cybersecurity-index.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">fifth in the Global Cybersecurity Index</a> by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rossiia-vnesla-v-oon-proekt-konventsii-po-borbe-s-kiberprestupnostiu/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>

Russia is the First Country to Submit UN Cybersecurity Convention

In July, the <a href="https://aodfa.ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Association for Information Systems and Digital Financial Asset (DFA) Exchange Operators</a> was established in Russia, TAdadvisor reports.

 
 The new non-profit organization will represent the interests of its members in government agencies, as well as interact with financial and commercial organizations. The Association intends to defend initiatives to amend legislative acts to include members of the Association in the Register of Digital Financial Asset Exchange Operators and the Register of Information System Operators. The association will also offer assistance in the development of a platform for the exchange of digital assets, digitalization of assets, and smart contracts.

 
 The federal <a href="https://sozd.duma.gov.ru/bill/419059-7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">law on DFA</a> (<a href="https://sozd.duma.gov.ru/bill/419059-7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">📜</a>) was adopted at the end of July 2020, it establishes the legal basis for the circulation of digital financial assets

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-sozdana-assotsiatsiia-operatorov-tsfa/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>

Digital Assets Operators Create Association in Russia

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has prepared a draft government decree proposing to extend the granting of subsidies for testing unmanned vehicles on public roads until 2022.

 
 “The target indicator for the recipient of the subsidy is set in the amount of at least 200 conclusions in 2021 and at least 100 conclusions in 2022,” the <a href="https://regulation.gov.ru/projects#npa=118444" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">draft </a>from Ministry of Industry and Trade says. As noted in the memorandum to the document, the cost of testing could prevent drone developers from massive participation in trial testing.

 
 Testing of self-driving cars on public roads began in December 2018 and will last until March 1, 2022. To participate in it, a car must be tested for compliance with the mandatory requirements of the technical regulations of both the Eurasian Customs Union and UN rules. These costs are reimbursed from the budget for 2020 and 2021.

 
 In March this year, the Russian government <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/testing-of-unmanned-vehicles-without-test-engineers-in-the-cabin-will-begin-in-russia-in-2021/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">approved </a>a set of measures for testing and phased commissioning of highly automated vehicles on public roads. The document assumes that unmanned vehicles without a test engineer in the cabin will be allowed on Russian roads by the end of 2021. The government is also preparing a plan to provide infrastructure for highly automated road traffic to the network of major Russian roads by 2030.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/minpromtorg-predlagaet-prodlit-subsidirovanie-ispytanii-bespilotnikov-na-2022-god/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Subsidies for Driverless Testing in Russia Prolong for 2022

Russian tech giant Yandex N.V. has registered Deli International Ltd., a new London-based company providing food delivery service, RBC reports. Under the international brand of Yango Deli, it will focus on delivering groceries from London dark stores in 10-15 minutes.

 
 Yandex is currently expanding food delivery service Yandex.Lavka outside Moscow. In addition to Russian cities, it now operates in Tel Aviv and several other cities in Israel. The company is planning to launch similar services in Paris as well as London later this year.

 
 Yandex does not disclose investments in the international expansion of Lavka. According to RBC, by the end of this year the company is planning to invest $400-500 million in e-commerce, including such services as Yandex.Market, Yandex.Lavka, and several delivery products within the Yandex.Eda food service.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-zaregistriroval-kompaniiu-v-velikobritanii-dlia-razvitiia-servisa-dostavki-edy/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

New Food Delivery Service by Yandex to Launch in UK

Yandex introduced a system for automatic voice-over translation of video clips.

 
 The system uses machine learning algorithms that automatically recognize and translate the speaker’s speech, and also generate a Russian-language version of the text. It is broadcast almost in real time, taking into account the speech tempo. Biometric algorithms also determine the gender of the speaker in order to choose the appropriate voice.

 
 The technology is at the prototype stage and translates speech in the video only from English into Russian. The company continues to develop the service and plans to make the announcement of its public version in the near future.

 
 Contacts:

 
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andrew.zakonov" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Andrew Zakonov</a>, CPO Smart Devices and Alice, Yandex

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-predstavil-prototip-zakadrovogo-perevodchika-video/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex presented a prototype of a voice over translator for videos

Yandex, a Russian tech company working on self-driving systems, is partnering with GrubHub to deploy a fleet of delivery robots on selected college campuses in the United States later this year.

 
 Yandex offers arange of services, including a search engine, ride-hailing and food delivery. The company began operating food delivery robots, called Rovers, in 2019 in Moscow, Tel Aviv and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 
 "We chose to partner with GrubHub for campus delivery because of GrubHub’s unparalleled reach into college campuses across the United States, as well as the flexibility and strength of their ordering platform,” said Dmitry Polishchuk, CEO of Yandex Self-Driving Group. “We are delighted to deploy dozens of our rovers, taking the next step in actively commercializing our self-driving technology in different markets across the globe.’’

 
 The partnership plans to launch the Rovers on 250 campuses.

Yandex, GrubHub Launching Food Delivery Bots On 250 U.S. College Campuses

According to The Bell, Yandex is negotiating the acquisition of the Azbuka Vkusa supermarket chain. The deal is aimed at creating synergy with Yandex.Lavka, a product delivery service. According to one of the sources, both companies are targeting the premium audience, Lavka is actively developing the sale of ready-to-eat food, the segment in which Azbuka Vkusa is strong, and will be able to quickly expand this area with the help of the deal.

 
 One of the sources mentioned Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, a premium supermarket chain, as an example. Whole Foods has retained the stores and the retailer’s brand after the acquisition.

 
 The representative of Yandex said the company would not comment on the rumors. Representatives of Azbuka Vkusa refused to comment, the newspaper writes.

 
 Azbuka Vkusa is one of the key partners of Yandex.Lavka, The Bell reminds. The service has been selling ready-to-eat food from Azbuka Vkusa for several months, and the retailer announced that it would give the exclusive rights for express food delivery to the services of Yandex, and would refuse to partner with its competitors.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-vedet-peregovory-o-pokupke-seti-azbuka-vkusa/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

The Bell

Yandex is negotiating the acquisition of the Azbuka Vkusa retail chain

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev during the meeting concerning the protection of national interests of the Russian Federation in developing AI, said that the Russian authorities needed to determine the position on the ethical issues of using AI. In particular, it is necessary to formulate the position regarding the possible ban on the use of certain forms of artificial intelligence, restriction of its use in certain areas and introduction of external control over developments in this area.

 
 Dmitry Medvedev <a href="https://tass.ru/ekonomika/11597005" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">highlighted</a> several ideas:

<ul>
 <li>ethical issues of using AI have not yet been addressed anywhere;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
 <li>it is important “not to go too far” in the issue of regulation;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
 <li>the issues of creating ethical standards for AI, establishing an obligation for developers to disclose their programs to the public and external audit have yet to be regulated;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
 <li>it is necessary to establish the production of Russian AI technologies and facilitate the promotion of these technologies in overseas markets.</li>
</ul>

 
 In addition, Medvedev <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/08/06/2021/60bf5bb19a794771adf69854" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">clarified that</a> so far, within BRICS, there is no document regulating the use of artificial intelligence. “The document could provide links to model laws that regulate the issues that are relevant for all countries. These are issues of autonomous vehicles, development and implementation of intelligent solutions, artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare,” - Medvedev said.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/dmitrii-medvedev-predlozhil-opredelitsia-s-pozitsiei-po-eticheskim-voprosam-primeneniia-ii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

ria.ru

Dmitry Medvedev proposed to formulate the position on ethical issues of using AI

The Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Energy jointly with Rosneft, Rosseti and Rosatom are working on the law on industrial data. At the beginning of June, a concept has already been created and the first draft of the federal law has been prepared. The document regulates the direct exchange of data between companies and exchange through intermediaries - cloud storages or operators, regulates data verification, the rules for data depersonalization and security standards.

 
 According to Deputy Minister of Energy Pavel Sorokin, one of the key tasks is to make industrial data available for implementation in Russia: to create the market and regulation. To facilitate the exchange of data, it is necessary to create open standards and APIs for access and integration. The document will enable the creation of unified platforms.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mintsifry-i-minenergo-prorabatyvaiut-zakon-o-promyshlennykh-dannykh/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

The Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Energy are working on the law on industrial data

Articles

Tech in Moscow

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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.