Mohali, March 22 -- Looking to clear a driving licence test in Mohali? Better brush up on the traffic rule book, as an AI-driven system is now letting only the genuinely skilled candidates pass. While the manually evaluated driving tests earlier saw pass rates of over 90%, the introduction of the AI-based testing system has broughtthe figure down to just 42%, reflecting a far stricter and more transparent assessment process. According to official data, between May 9, 2025, and March 9, 2026, a total of 13,072 candidates appeared for the driving licence (DL) test at the Mohali Regional Transport Authority (RTA) track near Sector 82. Of these, only 5,457 candidates passed, while 7,615 failed, pushing the failure rate to 58%, compared to the previous 10%. The AI-powered Harnessing Automobile for Safety (HAMS) system, a Microsoft Research product, is being implemented in Mohali as a pilot project in Punjab. It aims to ensure that only competent drivers, fully aware of road safety rules, are granted licences, while also eliminating human intervention and malpractices in the testing process. Initially, applicants undergo iris scanning and facial recognition at multiple levels, ruling out the possibility of proxy candidates. Once inside the test track, a smartphone equipped with the AI-powered HAMS mobile app is mounted inside the vehicle to evaluate the driving performance and adherence to traffic rules in real time. As the test concludes, the app automatically generates a pass or fail result without any manual intervention, leaving little scope for bias or manipulation. Mohali regional transport officer (RTO) Rajpal Singh said the system had introduced a new level of transparency and accountability in the licensing process. "The reduced pass percentage is a clear indication that the evaluation has become more rigorous and credible, filtering out untrained drivers," he said. Arjun Singh, head of the HAMS project, said, "The process begins with digital token generation through a mobile app, followed by stringent identity verification. The system uses facial recognition to match the applicant's image at multiple checkpoints, effectively eliminating the possibility of impersonation." "During the test, a smartphone running the HAMS app is mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle, which continuously tracks the candidate's driving performance. This ensures complete accuracy, consistency and fairness in the evaluation process," he added....