Maruti Suzuki India in collaboration with Microsoft Research India has developed a smart phone based technology for testing applicants seeking driver’s license.
The technology – HAMS (Harnessing Automobile for Safety) – has been deployed at Automated Driving Test Centre (ADTC), Dehradun in association with the Transport Department, Government of Uttarakhand. The technology is being developed and tested jointly by Maruti Suzuki-promoted Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) and Microsoft Research India.
The automaker has partnered with State Governments to set up state-of-the-art Automated Driving Test Centres. These centres are equipped with advanced video analytic technology to check driving skills of the applicants and replace manual assessment of candidates.
Deployment of HAMS at ADTC Dehradun has brought encouraging changes in the testing process. It takes only 10 minutes to complete the test and generate the report. The average pass rate now stands at 54% as compared to over 90% in the earlier manual testing mode. The feedback from the candidates, including those who fail the test, has been positive. The candidates appreciate the objectivity and transparency of the entire process.
Working of HAMS
During the testing process, the applicant’s car is fastened with a HAMS-enabled smartphone that monitors the driver as well as the road in-front. It employs advanced artificial intelligence models for efficient and robust operations. For driving tests, HAMS has been customized to include capabilities such as precise tracking of the vehicle’s trajectory during designated test maneuvers.
To ensure transparency, in case of a disagreement on the test results, applicants can also avail the option of viewing a video recording of their test drive.
