Rifkat Minnikhanov: parking space will always be lacking, but order is impossible without penalties

Russia is lagging behind Europe in unmanned systems by 20 years

The readiness of Russian cities for automated and unmanned transportation will be one of the central topics at the International scientific and practical conference ITS Forum-Kazan, which every two years traditionally gathers authoritative experts in the field of transport systems construction in big cities.

Announcing the upcoming event at the press conference, leader of the state budgetary institution Road Safety Rifkat Minnikhanov noted that for the first time the entire agenda of the conference was dedicated to the introduction of intellectual transport systems in cities — infrastructure, without which it is impossible to allow unmanned vehicles on Russian roads. The main guests will be experts of the European Association Ertico ITS Europe, representatives of Volvo, KAMAZ, Rostec, FSUE NAMI, the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI).

''Unmanned vehicles have been dynamically developing in Europe since 2012. They have special targeted programmes, R&D is conducted. But if the European states have adopted a strategy to develop the territory for unmanned traffic by 2030, then in our country it can appear, according to the most optimistic forecasts, no sooner than in 2045,'' Minnikhanov said. According to his estimates, Russia lags behind European countries in this direction by 15-20 years. But this gap can be reduced if we show a desire to communicate with European manufacturers of unmanned vehicles and related IT infrastructure. ''We would like to reduce this lag curve, and this conference aims to show that we have the resources,'' Rifkat Minnikhanov explained the importance of the conference. And they do have something to show foreign visitors.

On the second day of the conference, they will be shown the development of an unmanned KAMAZ vehicle, which is developed at Innopolis University, deputy prime minister of the Republic of Tatarstan — minister of information and communications Roman Shaykhutdinov said.

On the second day of the conference, they will be shown the development of an unmanned KAMAZ vehicle, which is developed at Innopolis University, Roman Shaykhutdinov said. Photo: kamaz.ru

To Brussels on the third try

Anyway, this international conference serves, in a sense, as a prelude to that Kazan could win the right to host the Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress in 2020. As Rifkat Minnikhanov admitted, last year's attempt did not bring success.

''We were trying very hard when we defended the application in Brussels last September,'' the head of the state budgetary institution expressed the regret. ''Let us frankly say that we didn't win, but we didn't lose either. If the city-winners have already been defined for 2019 and 2021, then the year 2020 is still remaining vacant.'' The first wave of re-applications has started, the ministry of communications of Tatarstan has joined it again.

''We do not reject this idea, we want to participate there,'' Minnikhanov assured. ''Three is the magic number, we are not going to give up,'' Shaykhudinov confirmed, implying that the first application was in 2014 but it was rejected by the experts.

''The victory would contribute to that ITS received a new impetus for development in the country! To date, in Russia there are about 200 public and private companies (manufacturers, integrators, providers, service companies) whose work is not coordinated and not regulated at the state level,'' Minnikhanov said. ''The Concept of intelligent transport systems in Russia and a draft law are being developed, but they have not been adopted yet.''

Rifkat Minnikhanov believes that the search for parking space near the office will be a pain in the neck for the employer as he will have to sign a contract with the employee on placing his car. Photo: Roman Khasaev

When I arrived at work, it was impossible to park a car

''When unmanned vehicles appear, parking will not be necessary: one orders a taxi, an unmanned vehicle arrives and takes you to the designated place,'' Rifkat Minnikhanov jokingly explained to journalists the advantages of automated transport at the end of the press conference. Seizing the opportunity to talk about the sensational decision of the deputies to fine for parking in the green zone, journalists asked — is there enough parking space in Kazan?

''There has always been not enough parking space because earlier the residential houses were built without it, without special norms,'' the former head of the Tatarstan traffic police admitted. But he also sees another problem in that whether employers can provide parking lots for their employees. ''A long time ago, when I arrived at work, but it was impossible to park a car,'' he remembered curious incidents of the past years. ''Then we were asked why we put the markings around the building?''

Rifkat Minnikhanov believes that the search for parking space near the office will be a pain in the neck for the employer as he will have to sign a contract with the employee on placing his car. ''There are a lot of issues here, parking is always lacking. But what is the criterion where it is possible park and where it is not,'' he says.

But on the other hand, practice shows that parking lots built in the centre of the city near the shopping centres Koltso and Suvar happened to be vacant, but the access to courtyards was blocked. ''I have always told – we should install at least a barrier so that ambulance and fire vehicles could pass,'' Minnikhanov advised an alternative to fines. ''It is impossible to bring order without penalties.''

According to the minister of communications, 82% of Kazan yards are equipped with video surveillance systems. Photo: spsafe.ru

82% of Kazan yards are equipped with video surveillance

They will not be difficult to collect as almost every yard of Kazan has video surveillance. According to the minister of communications, 82% of Kazan yards are equipped with video surveillance systems.

''Fifty-two thousand video cameras have been installed in public places, on the adjacent territories of apartment buildings and at organizations with large gatherings of citizens,'' the press service of the ministry of communications of the Republic of Tatarstan reported. ''On the basis of the Geoportal of the Republic of Tatarstan, it has been developed a system that allows to obtain an image from cameras in real time. Today, 23,000 video cameras have already been included in this system, and in 2018 it is planned to make available viewing of all cameras installed on the territory of apartment buildings.''