Delhi Gets First Automated Driving Test Centre; To Be Maintained By Maruti Suzuki India

Delhi today got its first ever fully Automated Driving Test Centre (ADTC), at the Regional Transport Office in Mayur Vihar Phase I. The new centre was inaugurated earlier today by Kailash Gahlot, Minister of Transport. The National Capital has got three more ADTCs, which have come up at Vishwas Nagar, Sarai Kale Khan and Shakur Basti, and all these centres will be maintained by Maruti Suzuki India, as part of its agreement with the Department of Transport, NCT of Delhi. In fact, the company's has invested over Rs. 20 crore to set up these facilities. Similar ADTCs will come up in - Lado Sarai, Raja Garden, Hari Nagar, Burari, Loni, Rohini, Jharoda Kalan and Dwarka.

Speaking at the inauguration, Ajay Kumar Tomer, Executive Director (Corporate Planning), Maruti Suzuki said, "Road Safety is an important CSR intervention for Maruti Suzuki. We have been working in this area for over a decade through multiple interventions for improving road safety scenario in the country. Delhi Government's decision to adopt advanced technology to issue driving licenses is an important step towards road safety." The facility has been developed jointly with the Department of Transport, Delhi Government, ensures that applicants are tested for skills that are actually required as per CMVR.

These automated driving test centres use access control equipped with biometric, RFID recognition system that permits entry of applicants only at the pre-assigned time slots. The facilities come with specially designed test tracks, along with multiple high definition cameras which help to evaluate applicants against 20 essential driving skills, in-line with Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR). With this, the Delhi government aims to make issuance of a driving license, comprehensive, convenient, and more efficient with minimal human intervention. "The use of high-resolution cameras, real-time video, instant results, online registration, all together make the entire process much more convenient and efficient. These also help to get accurate and consistent results," said Tomer.

The centres have tracks for testing reverse parallel parking, up-gradient, Forward-8, Reverse-S, Traffic Junction, H-Track for four-wheelers. In fact, for the first time, there is also a track to test overtaking skills. The test tracks also have a special exit passage on each track is made so that applicants who fail mid-way can easily exit without disturbing other applicants. For a two-wheeler license, the applicants have to drive around a serpentine track, to showcase their manoeuvring skills. They will also be tested for emergency braking skills and skills to ride on a straight ramp, both introduced for the first time.