Maruti Suzuki signs MoA with Bihar Transport Department to automate 5 driving test tracks
Chennai: Maruti Suzuki India Limited signed the Memorandum of Agreement with the Transport Department, Government of Bihar to automate driving license test tracks at Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Purnia and Saran. The MoA was signed in the presence of Sheela Kumari, Transport Minister of Bihar and Sanjay Kumar Agarwal (IAS), Secretary, Transport Department, Government of Bihar. The MoA was signed by Navin Kumar (IAS), State Transport Commissioner, Government of Bihar and Tarun Agarwal, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Maruti Suzuki.
With zero human intervention, the Automated Driving Test Tracks are aimed to make license testing more comprehensive, efficient, and transparent. The rigorous and standardized evaluation process is designed to assess candidates according to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules. Test results are also automatically generated.
Applauding Maruti Suzuki on its road safety efforts, SheelaKumari, Transport Minister of Bihar said, “I applaud Maruti Suzuki, India’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, for their exemplary commitment to road safety through nationwide programs. One of their innovative initiatives, the Automated Driving Test Tracks, ensures that only skilled drivers get a driving license, making our roads safer for everyone. We successfully automated the driving test tracks in Aurangabad and Patna with them and have seen drivers coming better prepared for the license testing. We are glad to partner with Maruti Suzuki once again to develop five more Automated Driving Test Tracks in Bihar. This collaboration will significantly contribute toward reducing road accidents and promoting responsible driving practices in our state of Bihar.”
Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “Maruti Suzuki’s association with the Bihar government goes back to 2018 when we set up the state’s first Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) to offer driver training in Aurangabad. Since then, we have inaugurated ADTTs at Aurangabad in 2020 and Patna in 2021. We thank the Government of Bihar for further entrusting us with this road safety project. Maruti Suzuki has been steadfast in its commitment to the 5 pillars of road safety – engineering, education, evaluation, enforcement, and emergency care. Automated driving license testing is a vital component of the ‘evaluation’ process. Equipped with high-definition cameras and an integrated IT system, ADTTs guarantee a comprehensive, efficient, and transparent testing process ensuring that only skilled drivers are awarded licenses.”
Bharti added, “According to data shared by the Union Road Transport Ministry, 15.3 lakh lives were lost in road accidents in the 10 years between 2014-2023 in India. Road death rate in the country is around 250 per 10,000 km as opposed to 119 in China, 57 in the USA, and 11 in Australia. An important aspect of road safety is driver’s skill and knowledge of traffic rules. Automated Driving Test Tracks will ensure that license seekers are better prepared and only skilled drivers are awarded a driving license. This will bring a positive transformation that will go a long way to reduce road accidents caused by human error.”
Maruti Suzuki Automated Driving Test Tracks across India
Over the past years, Maruti Suzuki has systematically automated 27 driving test tracks (across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Haryana). The Company is in the process of setting up 12 additional ADTTs in Uttar Pradesh. With the addition of these 5 test tracks in Bihar, the Company will complete automation of 44 driving test tracks across the country.
