The driver-training sector in Changsha has recently brought in a new working mechanism – trainees have to swipe an IC card and fingerprints to start their course, and the time and mileage of their driving practice will be recorded.

More than 80,000 trainees in Changsha hold IC cards at present, according to the city’s driver training administrative office, 101 out of 120 driving training institutions in Changsha have passed the suitability/fitness check for the system.

A principal of Changsha Yuanzheng Driving School said that under the new system, every trainee will be equipped with one car and one coach, adding that one will be able to take the exam only after one is trained for a minimum number of specified hours.

A trainee from the school, identified only by her surname Li, said that she had practiced driving for three times and that there are clear records on her card showing how long she has been trained every time. “ There is no longer any need to worry about whether my practicing hours will be cut down secretly,” she said.

The new rules are expected to strengthen the supervision and regulation of the industry, improve the training quality of drivers, and protect the legal rights and interests of the trainees overall, said a principal of the Changsha driver training administrative office.