Tougher test now awaits driving licence applicants

Planning to get a driving licence? Well, it is not going to be easy anymore. Get ready for a tougher driving test, judged not by officials of the regional transport office (RTO), but by sensors. A computer control system will now assess the driving capability of the applicants. Once failed by the automated system, you will have to go back to the driving school.

Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, on Thursday, inaugurated the country’s first automated driving test track in Mallathalli. “The system will be more transparent and it will ensure responsible drivers on the roads. This will also test the quality of the driving schools,” said Bhaskar Rao, commissioner for transport.

Here is how you need to apply for a driving licence, and how you can pass, or fail in the test. One needs to pay a nominal fee of Rs50 for taking the test. An ID card will be given to the applicant after the fee is paid. Before the test, one is given some time to see the track and how other amateur drivers are taking the test. Your application for a driving licence and documents for the vehicle will be scrutinised following which you need to appear for a test. To be eligible for the test on the automated driving track, you need to answer four out of eight questions.

There are different tracks for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Applicants for a two-wheeler licence will have to drive on a narrow serpentine track. The track has many poles under which censors are placed. The rider fails the test on hitting more than eight poles.
There is also a timer activated at the sensors which feed data to the computers in the control room. The applicant has to pass the test within 180 seconds.

The track is tougher for four-wheelers. The driver will first have to take the vehicle up to a gradient of 30 degrees without reversing the wheels for more than four times. There are five censors which will read the number of times the vehicle was taken back while driving upwards.

Right after the gradient test, there is a right turn to take the 8 test. This track is shaped like the numeric figure ‘eight’ and the narrow track has to be covered within 120 seconds. Out of 49 poles on both sides of the track, one can only hit six poles within the timeframe.

To test parking skills, there is a reverse parallel parking test where drivers are made to park in a given space bordered by five poles on three sides. The vehicle needs to be parked within 180 seconds without hitting more than three poles. The toughest part comes thereafter: taking a reverse ‘S’ test on a narrow track, shaped like the English alphabet. If the driver knocks eight sensors out of 27, he fails the test.

Of course, the motor vehicle inspector can test the driver on a public road even after passing the automated test, as prescribed under rule 15 of Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. Interestingly, even experienced drivers had a tough time on the test track on the first day.