Driver’s License tests are going to be less stressful in India soon, thanks to the researchers at Microsoft for developing a new application capable of automating the license test.

The app is developed as part of the HAMS (Harnessing AutoMobiles for Safety) project. All it needs is a smartphone mounted to the windshield of the car to work. The front camera of the phone will face the driver while the rear camera will be monitoring the road.

“The main challenge in the traditional driver’s license test is the burden placed on the human evaluators and the resulting subjectivity that a candidate faces. Automation using HAMS technology can not only help relieve evaluators of the burden but also make the process objective and transparent for candidates,” says Venkat Padmanabhan, Deputy Managing Director, Microsoft Research India.

HAMS app efficiently makes use of sensors present on the phone. For instance, the accelerometer sensor present on the phone will be used for detecting sudden brakes. All these factors will be taken into consideration for judging whether the driver qualifies the license test.

It is worth noting that Microsoft worked closely with the Government of Uttarakhand and Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) for implementing HAMS for automated driver’s license test at Dehradun. I hope this automated driver’s license test technique catches up soon across the country as the era of autonomous cars is on its way.

“On an average, over 50 candidates take the HAMS-enabled automated license test every day at the Dehradun RTO. Due to the comprehensive nature of testing, just about 50 percent candidates pass the test, ensuring that only qualified drivers are given a driver’s license,” says Akshay Nambi, a Senior Researcher at Microsoft Research India.

So, would you be more comfortable taking a manual driver’s license test or an automated one? Tell us in the comments.