Proposal to pilot online driving training

The HCM City Department of Transport recently sent a document to the HCM City People's Committee proposing to deploy a pilot project of "centralized training on digital platforms" for car driving training and testing.

Explaining this, the HCM City Department of Transport said that the current form of teaching car driving theory has some shortcomings and contradictions between the 2014 Law on Vocational Education and the 2008 Law on Road Traffic.

For example, in the case of driving training facilities that develop a program to teach car driving (class B2, C, D, E and class F driving licenses), the Road Traffic Law requires centralized learning. Meanwhile, the Law on Vocational Education allows learning in the form of distance learning or self-study.

Faced with the above shortcomings, a company with a driving training facility requested permission to deploy a pilot project of "centralized training on a digital platform and a management system for training facilities for driving class B (B1, B2), C cars".

*The Department of Transport proposed a pilot program to teach driving theory online (Illustration photo: Viet Hung)*

The project hopes to pilot the teaching of driving theory for B1, B2, and C cars on a digital platform.

According to the enterprise's proposal, theoretical subjects (study, study time, final exam and graduation exam) are taught using a centralized digital platform, including road traffic law, structure and common repair.

There are also subjects on transport operations, ethics, traffic culture and prevention of harmful effects of alcohol and beer when participating in traffic, and driving techniques.

With this form, students use computers, phones, websites... to self-study, exchange knowledge with teachers and other students at any time. Thus, students save on study costs, study time, and flexibly arrange their study schedule.

Regarding this project, the HCM City Department of Transport believes that there is a legal basis for implementation. Because in reality, the driving training process needs to be digitally transformed to create conditions for people to arrange flexible learning time, in accordance with the world 's trends and roadmap.

In particular, it is necessary to convert car driving training to a digital platform to help overcome existing shortcomings.

The HCM City Department of Transport proposed that the HCM City People's Committee send a document to the Ministry of Transport requesting approval for the pilot implementation of the project in HCM City. The pilot period is 2 years, from the date of approval or until the Road Traffic Law is replaced.

Discussing further with VietNamNet reporters about this proposal, Dr. Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, said: in the era of technology 4.0, online training has become popular with many subjects in many different fields.

It is undeniable that driver training is a vocational field with conditions because it is related to the health and lives of traffic participants. Dr. Khuong Kim Tao compared it to "the medical industry", but that does not mean that the regulations are rigid.

Instead, students can learn online in theoretical subjects. “This needs to be implemented widely and not on a pilot basis,” Mr. Tao said.

According to him, the most important thing right now is for the professional agency (Vietnam Road Administration - PV) to review the entire training, testing, and driver's license program. With the content that is no longer suitable, boldly cut it.

“For example, the structure of a car. Cars today are very modern, there are failures that only the maintenance system can fix. Something as simple as changing the battery, the driver does not have to do it himself but can replace it correctly. Or now, why do we need to force students to learn: suction, compression, explosion, exhaust…what else?”, Dr. Khuong Kim Tao said.

Answering the question of how the organization and supervision will be carried out if students are allowed to study theoretical subjects online, Mr. Tao said that technology will do this.

According to him, it is not difficult to evaluate and monitor students' learning. Accordingly, even though they do not attend classes directly, to be eligible to participate in the exam, students must pass the tests.

“However, I also need to note that the online learning format should not be rigidly regulated, forcing everyone to study in this format. This should be considered as another format for learners to choose from. Avoid situations where information technology is not yet developed or learners do not like to study online, if they have the need to study driving training, they still have the right to study,” Dr. Khuong Kim Tao expressed.

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