Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest carmaker, reached a significant milestone today with the inauguration of its automated driving test track (ADTT) at Lado Sarai, Delhi. With this accomplishment, the company has successfully automated all its driving test tracks in the city, fulfilling the terms of the memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed with the Department of Transport, Government of NCT of Delhi in December 2017.
Under the agreement, Maruti Suzuki took responsibility for the construction of the test tracks, the setup of automation and IT systems, and the provision of maintenance support for three years before handing over the facility to the Delhi government. This collaboration between Maruti Suzuki and the Department of Transport aims to enhance road safety by leveraging technology for evaluation and testing.
Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer of Corporate Affairs at Maruti Suzuki India, expressed gratitude to the Government of Delhi for the opportunity and support provided. He highlighted Maruti Suzuki’s dedication to road safety and emphasized the company’s comprehensive approach encompassing engineering, education, evaluation, enforcement, and emergency care.
The ADTTs developed by Maruti Suzuki are a pioneering initiative that utilizes video analytics technology to evaluate driving skills with zero human intervention, completing the assessment within a remarkable 10-minute cycle time. The introduction of ADTTs and standardized testing has had a profound impact on driving license seekers. Initially, the pass percentage under the manual testing method was 84% in 2018. However, after the implementation of ADTTs, the pass percentage dropped sharply to around 34% before gradually rising to the current 64%. This significant shift indicates that candidates are now better prepared for their driving tests, ensuring that licenses are awarded only to skilled individuals and subsequently making the roads safer for everyone.
The ADTTs are designed to assess essential driving skills in accordance with the central motor vehicle rules (CMVR). The evaluation process includes various tests such as reverse parallel parking, 8-formation, overtaking test, traffic junction test, gradient test, and reverse parallel parking for four-wheelers. Two-wheeler applicants are evaluated on their vehicle handling and control skills through a serpentine track, along with an emergency brake test and ramp test.
The automation of all driving test tracks in Delhi by Maruti Suzuki represents a significant step towards enhancing road safety and ensuring that individuals possessing valid licenses are well-equipped with essential driving skills. By leveraging technology and implementing standardized testing procedures, Maruti Suzuki has not only improved the efficiency of the assessment process but also contributed to raising awareness and preparedness among driving license seekers. This achievement sets an exemplary benchmark for other stakeholders in the automotive industry to prioritize road safety and leverage technology-driven solutions for a safer and more secure driving experience.