Cars

Traffic police comments on use of autopilot in Kazakhstan

Photo: Shutterstock, photo editor: Denis Andreev

An Instagram user has uploaded a video of him lying on the passenger seat of a moving car with no driver. Police confirmed that the author’s actions don’t violate the law.

«Autopilot, films, chips and a long trip,» commented the creator.

The comment section has been buzzing with discussions about the legality of driving in this manner in Kazakhstan. Eventually, the press service of the Almaty region police department confirmed that there are no relevant prohibitions under the law.

«If a vehicle is equipped with an autopilot feature, current driving regulations do not prohibit its use. But the driver is liable for all the consequences. If traffic regulations are violated, the driver will be held accountable,» the police explained.

It’s worth noting that the person in the video is lying in the Chinese off-roader Lixiang L9, which offers an autopilot function only in its Max and Ultra packages. The function centers the vehicle in its lane, stops it at the traffic lights, overtakes other road users, changes lanes and turns smoothly in slow turns. 

The creator in his other videos demonstrates the capabilities of the autopilot option.