The Moscow metro now offers a biometric payment option that lets passengers pay by facial recognition at the gate without a card or phone. According to the report, the system was developed over several years, uses conventional 2D cameras (rather than costly 3D sensors), and has been deployed beyond Russia in locations including Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Developers say the payment feature grew out of earlier biometric use for security purposes.
The coverage also describes a bank-run “smile pay” system for retail purchases that processes payments after a customer looks at a camera, with options to leave ratings or tips. Both payment methods are presented as faster and more convenient for users who opt in.
Separately, driverless trams are operating with sensors, radar, lidar and cameras; the vehicle navigates and controls doors and stops autonomously while an employee remains on board as a fallback. The city reportedly plans to expand driverless tram use substantially over the next decade.
The report notes two practical caveats: biometric systems raise privacy concerns (data leakage and potential for broader monitoring), and such solutions depend on local infrastructure and regulatory choices. It also frames the recent technological push as partly driven by restrictions on foreign suppliers, which has created opportunities for domestic vendors to scale local solutions.
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