Sensor Integrated Driving Tracks for Better Driving

The Union Minister for Surface Transport and Highways, Kamal Nath, will be inaugurating the first automated driving route at Mallathahalli, Jnanabharathi before September 15.

The automatic centre was a portion of the Railwaymen House Building Cooperative Society and spreads over 2.5 acres and financed together by the State Government's Department of e-governance and Union Ministry of Information Technology. The centre is expected to assess 600 aspirants covering about 400 licence applicants for two-wheelers, per day.

Bhaskar Rao, the commissioner for Transport and Road Safety, reported that the progressive driving roads will be designed in the '8' and 'S' shaped pattern and the two lined track for two-wheelers and the single lined track for a four-wheeler will be integrated with many electronic sensors near the curves and humps. He also mentioned that the sensors embedded on the tracks will negate the points automatically if the driver happens to collide with the sensor attached planes upon maneuvering the humps or bends.

The CCTV will examine the driving ability apart from the sensors. He added that upon scoring eligible marks the aspirants have to appear for an online test which will be based on the road signals and safety features. The department will then issue the licence after successful completion of all these tests.

A transport department official said that the licence aspirants will be provided with their results instantly and the performance will be recorded in a CD on the payment of a minimal fee. He also explained that the automated track abolishes human intrusion, eliminating corruption and canvassing at the RTO for gaining licence.

The department plans to send all the licence seekers from Rajajinagar and Kengeri RTO to the Mallathahalli automated centre for the driving test. A series of such automated tracks were put forward at Yelahanka and Parappana Agrahara. Almost all the urban and rural RTOs will be relocating the DL aspirants to these tracks for driving tests in the near future. It is estimated to issue 3.6 lakh licences within a year

The essential electronic elements, for the track construction at Mallathahalli, were supplied by a state governed company Keonics, in conjunction with a private sector.