Smart driving tests in Abu Dhabi from December

The 'Smart Driving Test' system to get driving licences in Abu Dhabi will be launched by December, an Abu Dhabi Police official said on the sidelines of the 26th World Road Congress held at ADNEC.

The system uses artificial intelligence and technologies to evaluate the performance and either pass or fail a driver taking the test.

"This system will ensure fair result as margin of error will be zero. There will be total of nine cameras, six of which will be outside. One out of the three cameras inside the car will capture face of the driver. The camera will check for eye movements to know if the driver is looking at the mirror while shifting lanes, etc. There are sensors on the body of the car, which give further data," the officer said, and noted that 18 smart cars will be rolled out to serve Abu Dhabi, 10 in Al Ain and 8 in Al Dhafra, from December.

The car is connected to the control room through GPS and is monitored. The system will deduct marks as and when any of the 21 specified mistakes are committed, the officer said.

"For each mistake, the system will deduct marks. Like, if there is a minor mistake it will be five marks or so. A major one like jumping of red light or driving in the wrong lane will lead to an immediate end of the test. There is a video review available if the person wants to cross-check the accuracy of the system. All the mistakes committed by a driver will be explained. It will all be done by the system. There will be a police officer inside the vehicle but will only engage in case of an emergency."

The system is being tried on trial basis since June.

"The result will automatically be recorded in the traffic file," the officer added.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi

Ashwani Kumar

Ashwani Kumar is a versatile journalist who explores every beat in Abu Dhabi with an insatiable curiosity. He loves uncovering stories that are informative and help readers form their own opinions.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com