KAKKANAD: Licence seekers can soon enjoy a virtual driving experience without negotiating the hostile city roads, with the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) in the final stage of installing a driving simulator at the Collectorate Conference Hall at Kakkanad.
Set up in a 3,000-sqft hall, the simulator will help in imparting training on driving in different road conditions; analysing driver behaviour; assessing learners’ performance and handling controls.
The simulator, which features a virtual driving system with digital screen, will ensure a real-life experience to the licence aspirants.
“The screen fixed in front of the driving seat will create an impression that the driver is cruising the roads in Kerala. It will also identify the factors that cause distraction while driving, and correct the same,” said RTO M A Shaji.
“Lack of adequate space was the major reason behind the delay in completing the installation of the simulator,” he said.
The Regional Transport Office had procured the simulator from Hyderabad a few months ago, spending `38 lakh. The final nod to install the simulator came at a meeting held last month, under the District Collector.
Now, the MVD has three simulators, one each in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Ernakulam.