AI Will Start Taking Moscow Taxi Driver Exams in 2027

Moscow is preparing to launch an AI-based certification system for taxi drivers, as announced by Vladimir Makarov, deputy head of the city's Department of Transport, at the XIV International Eurasian Taxi Forum. The neural network testing will begin in 2027, and the authorities hope the technology will make online exams more transparent by preventing cheating. The department will develop a proprietary system for this purpose, noting that similar technologies are already used in Russian universities. The taxi driver knowledge check was introduced gradually: voluntary testing began two years ago, became mandatory in March 2025, and since March 2026 drivers have had only one attempt to pass the online exam. According to the department, about 85% of drivers currently pass the online certification on their first attempt, a steady figure for the second year, while the share of those failing has noticeably decreased. In related news, Yandex Taxi has announced plans to launch self-driving cars, with robots capable of handling almost all road scenarios, though test drivers will still monitor safety and intervene when needed.