Haridwar likely to have State’s 1st automated driving track

The first automated driving track in the State is set to be constructed near the ARTO office in Haridwar for testing the abilities of the seekers of the driving licences. The State transport department had earlier proposed two projects of building automated driving tracks and automated testing lanes in Haldwani, Rishikesh and Haridwar. The officials here hope that given the best terrain, Haridwar would be developed on a priority basis.

For the past one month, work has been underway and a motor driving institute has started functioning at Jhajhra village. However, the department does not have direct control over it. Concerned over the spike in road accidents over the past few years, Supreme Court and the Centre have given directions for the fitness level of the vehicles out on the roads being checked from time to time. Besides, refresher courses for the same have been stressed. As part of the initiative, automated motor fitness lanes are to be set up at various places.

It is learnt that once the project is complete, the ability of the applicants seeking driving licences would be tested and determined by the computer-assisted camera and sensors. A testing lane would be laid down along with the automated driving track in which the fitness of the vehicles would be determined by the machines. Nearly 4.5 acres of land had been made available to the department for the same and five months on, the department is now looking forward to the completion of things.

Till now, the transport officials are using manual mode as part of which the applicants are asked to drive in front of them while the assessment is done manually. But after the completion of the project, the applicants would have to undergo the tests. The tests include parallel parking, driving in the letter S or the numeral 8, halting the car on slope and driving again and reversing the car.

What is important is that the final result would be given by the computer as to whether the candidates pass the tests or not. If things are not satisfactory, the applicants would be given time to come up to the standard. One would get the driving licence only after he satisfactorily passes all the tests. Besides, a separate lane would be there for testing the fitness of the vehicles. Modernised testing would be conducted to check the wheel alignment, straight lighting, smoke and brakes checking.

Speaking to The Pioneer, ARTO Haridwar Manish Tiwari said, “With the coming of this automated driving track, better evaluation would be done of the applicants’ driving skills. Also the fitness checking of the vehicles would be much more accurate than what it is by the manual mode.

All these moves are being undertaken to ensure better functioning of the licensing system.” Gradients would be made on the automated driving tracks and the certificates for passing the tests would be given to the participants after things are checked through the video cameras, added Tiwari.

Notably, the automated driving track technique has already been started in some parts of Gujarat and Punjab.