 "Maruti signs deal with Bihar govt to automate driving tests at 5 sites")
Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday said it has inked a pact with the Bihar government to automate driving license test tracks at Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Purnia and Saran.
With zero human intervention, the automated driving test tracks are aimed to make license testing more comprehensive, efficient and transparent, the auto major said in a statement.
"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 and 2023 in India," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Executive Officer Corporate Affairs Rahul Bharti said.
Road accident death rate in the country is around 250 per 10,000 km as opposed to 119 in China, 57 in the US, and 11 in Australia, he added.
"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," Bharti said.
The automaker's association with the Bihar government goes back to 2018 when it set up the state's first Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) to offer driver training in Aurangabad, he noted.
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Since then, the carmaker inaugurated Automated Driving Test Tracks (ADTTs) at Aurangabad in 2020 and Patna in 2021, Bharti said.
Bihar Transport Minister Sheela Kumari said the collaboration with MSI will significantly contribute toward reducing road accidents and promoting responsible driving practices in Bihar.