Amid the rising number of road incidents caused due to elderly drivers, South Korea has turned towards virtual reality to evaluate if the seniors in the country are fit to drive.
Advocated by the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), the new method is being pushed for adoption by 2025. It will focus on determining whether individuals beyond 65 are to be allowed to continue driving.
The VR tests are expected to evaluate driving, cognitive, and memory skills through a VR headset. The mandatory exercise will be conducted on a simulator covering varying scenarios and situations to test the participants’ visual acuity. The program will test for daytime and nighttime highway driving scenarios with unexpected incidents popping up to check the drivers’ reactions.
Many countries across the world have mandated periodic exams for elderly drivers. Still, the most significant advantage of the VR method is that it takes the subjectiveness of the examiner away from the process. However, South Korea does not already have strict regulations regarding the driving license of seniors unless they are suffering from certain specific illnesses. The current laws mandate a three-year license renewal period for those aged 75 years and older and the voluntary return of the driver’s license for people over 65 years old.
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