Driving test examiners are set to ditch clipboards for iPads as the DVSA introduces digital driving test marking as part of a wider digital strategy. What does this mean for learner drivers and will it change the way the practical driving test is marked? Here’s what we know…
Come the end of 2018, driving examiners will no longer be using pen and paper to mark practical tests. Instead, they will be equipped with tablets featuring a brand new digital tool for marking candidates.
Current driver testing across England, Scotland and Wales requires examiners to assess candidates using a paper copy of the DL25 form. The document is used to mark driving performance and record faults. Upon completion of the test, candidates have to retrieve a copy of the form, which is scanned and sent to the authorities, from inside the test centre.
Digital Driving Test Marking Will Improve Accuracy
According to James Munson, director of digital services and technology at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) – the government organisation that carries out driving tests and approves driving instructors – the scans are ‘quite error prone’ and a shift to digital marking will improve accuracy.
Examiners are expected to start using iPads as early as the next two to three months. Meanwhile, the DVSA will continue to develop a digital marketing tool that’s currently in its early stages.
Munson said: “We will be building the service for the tablet – not just replicating the paper form.”
Won’t Digital Driving Test Marking Distract Drivers?
According to Munson, iPads will be fitted with screen guards to avoid distracting drivers from stealing a glance at their marks. The rollout of digital driving test marking forms part of a wider DVSA strategy that will be shaped over the next three years.
Over the last six months, the DVSA has overseen a massive shakeup of driver testing, including the introduction of a new look practical exam on 4 December, 2017. As the government agency looks to create a service fit for the modern motorist, expect a raft of changes in the near future!
Watch this space! In the meantime, book your theory test or practical exam today.
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