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Machines to test drivers, vehicles

The State Motor Vehicles Department is planning to set up an automated driver-testing yard and a vehicle testing station at Chevayur in the city. The department has invited tenders from service providers to set them up as pilot projects, for the first time in the State.

“The project is part of quality improvement. The objective is to conduct effective, efficient and transparent testing of candidates aspiring for driving licence,” said S. Anandakrishnan, Joint Transport Commissioner.

At present the test is conducted by visual evaluation. This has the disadvantage of subjectivity. Quality standards too will differ.

So, the department intends to automate the process of driver testing with the use of information and communication technologies. This would result in uniform standards and bring about transparency, he said.

The service provider will operate the testing yard on built-manage-transfer basis. The firm will install hardware and software and train the department staff. Chevayur has been chosen for these projects for two reasons.

The training institute of the Motor Vehicles Department is situated there. Also, land was readily available for the purpose, Mr. Anandakrishnan said.

The service provider will install hardware such as computer infrastructure, networking equipment, communication devices, flexi poles, movement sensor and optical sensor units. The software component includes application design, development and deployment and requisite software proprietary.

The bridge software for integrating the driver testing yard applications with the “SMARTMOVE” software operational in Motor Vehicles Department will also be provided by the firm.

The provider will be required to cater to the overall management of the systems, administrative needs and front-end operation.

However the department staff will be responsible for the department’s back-end operational tasks. The selected firm will also provide well-trained persons for network and system administration, database administration, and first line maintenance and technical support to the department. It is also entrusted with daily maintenance of equipment, including installation of latest anti-virus toolkits.

Mr. Anandakrishnan said that with the automation of vehicle testing station at Chevayur, latest technologies could be put to use to check the fitness of vehicles. The certificate of fitness is given to transport and goods vehicles every year and to private vehicles after 15 years.

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