Anatoly Yunitskiy Sent a Request to Introduce String Transport in the Law “On Road Traffic”

The author of the concept of string transport and the General designer of SkyWay Technologies Co. Anatoly Yunitskiy noted in a letter to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Lieutenant General Igor Shunevich that the string transport system already exists, and the first samples of the rolling stock – unibus and unibike – have already been certified.

Based on the fact that SkyWay transport is almost ready to operate in the transport system of the country, Anatoly Yunitskiy petitions to introduce into the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Road Traffic” provisions on the transport of the “second” level, in particular, on unmanned electric vehicles on steel wheels moving along a special string-rail overpass. As it is emphasized in the letter, such addition corresponds to the world trends according to which electric cars, including unmanned vehicles, are becoming road users.

The Republic of Belarus is currently developing an innovative transport and infrastructure technology SkyWay, the practical implementation of which is being performed by SkyWay Technologies Co. The basic principle of this technology is the transfer of the track structure to a special elevated string-rail overpass. This makes it possible to significantly improve safety of the transport system and to use rationally land, material and financial resources. The rolling stock of SkyWay transport has minimal aerodynamic resistance, which ensures minimal energy consumption on the move. Therefore, SkyWay technology allows to minimize capital and operating costs due to low material and energy intensity.

It should be noted that SkyWay technology has already become a reality. A center of practical implementation, testing and certification of SkyWay technology – EcoTechnoPark – has been built in the town of Maryina Gorka, Minsk region. Tests with the transport of new generation, created at our own production facility, are carried out since November 2016. In December 2017, we passed successfully certification of rolling stock – unibus and unibike; in 2018, work will continue to create and certify other models of transport and track structure. The innovative SkyWay transport technology is recognized by the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences and a number of international experts as one of the most efficient, environmentally friendly and safe among all the known and promising systems.

Taking these facts into account, SkyWay Technologies Co. applies to introduce into the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Road Traffic” provisions on the transport of the “second” level, in particular, on unmanned electric vehicles on steel wheels moving along a special string-rail overpass. In our opinion, such addition corresponds to the world trends according to which electric cars, including unmanned vehicles, are becoming road users.

The operating transport infrastructure in most countries, including the Republic of Belarus, is not designed for the current load, therefore, the transfer of transport to the “second” level will become one of the global trends that will relieve cities from traffic jams and significantly increase the speed of transporting goods and passengers. With the help of the “second” level transport, it is possible to change radically the urban infrastructure, to make life in the city more comfortable and safe, to create a network of intercity communication at a speed of up to 500 km/h, which will be a comprehensive alternative to airlines.

In the future, the “second” level transport will pass the way from solving local problems in particular cities to creating a large-scale regional and intercontinental transport infrastructure. Being supported by the required legal framework, the transport of the “second” level along with electric vehicles will become a full-fledged modern mode of transport corresponding to the trends of the country’s infrastructure development.

Only the issues of new small modes of transport have been raised in the framework of the public discussion so far. New categories will be introduced for quads and snowmobiles – respectively, H and I. They can be driven from the age of 17 years.

The subject of legislative registration of new modes of transport is now being raised more and more actively, especially as regards self-driving cars. So, on May 16, the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum held a discussion: “Unmanned vehicles in Russia: required regulation to ensure technological leadership”, where experts have discussed the possibility of testing driverless cars on public roads, aspects of safety for passengers and pedestrians as well as road infrastructure development and aligning Russian legislation in the field of unmanned vehicles in conformity with international standards. The participants of the discussion came to the conclusion that the regulation of unmanned transport in Russia at this stage needs a serious examination.

At the same time, in the USA, where the main companies-manufacturers of unmanned vehicles are located, the legislation is already beginning to adapt to new challenges: in some of the States, a legal definition of “Autonomous control system” has already appeared, which should allow licensing of self-driving cars. At the moment, laws on the regulation of unmanned vehicles have already been signed in 22 States and the capital district of Columbia.

It should be noted that many problems associated with the legislative regulation of autonomous vehicles do not relate to Skyway transport – an additional level of safety is provided by the transfer of the traffic flow up on a lightweight overhead overpass. We have already written (in Russian) about the advantages of SkyWay transport that are guaranteed due to this approach.