Many citizens that spoke to The New Times have welcomed the plan by the Government to allow the use of automatic transmissions during driving tests, a departure from the current situation where only manual cars are allowed.

The plan that is slated to come into force with the next fiscal year that starts in July 2020 is a response to a petition by a private citizen to parliament in April 2018, which sought to amend the law on acquisition of driving licenses to allow for the use of automatic cars.

However, as a source from Mininfra recently told The New Times before its implementation, there are some prerequisites that need to be in place.

"For now, we are about to submit a draft law in parliament concerning the amendment of the current law governing road traffic,” said Alfred Byiringiro, the Transport Division Manager in the Ministry.

He added that: "after that draft law is passed, they will follow with the amending of the Presidential Order which is the one that so far stipulates how driving tests are done.”

The petitioner, Frank Shumbusho, among others argued that "there are many people who own automatic cars and know how to drive them but are unable to do so because sitting for a driving exam requires one to have knowledge of a manual car.”

Citizens react

Elias Rukundo is a driving instructor with New Vision Driving School in Remera, Gasabo district. He said that this is a good move.

"To me, this is a good move and I think it will help many people who used to fail driving tests using manual cars.”

However, Rukundo noted that more explanations are needed.

"The question that many of us are asking ourselves is whether someone who gets a driving license for automatic cars will be able to sit for other categories. Because, apparently, it’s not easy to get a vehicle of D category that has an automatic transmission,” he said.

Category D is reserved for mainly Passenger Service Vehicles like coasters.

Jean-Paul Rurangwa who is also a driving instructor with 10 years of experience highlighted that: "It’s a good thing because nowadays, many people are busy and have no time to memorize or shift gears as done in manual cars.”

Fabiola Nibyiza, who said she has been driving for the past seven years said this decision was long overdue.

"Looking at the recent trend in Rwanda; there is high demand for automatic transmission cars as compared to manual ones, and in coming years the knowledge of manual cars won’t be relevant. To me this is a good move,” she said.

A source from Rwanda Revenue Authority in Customs Department recently told The New Times that: "Though so far we don’t have statistics on the number of imported automatic cars in comparison with manual ones, I can personally estimate that 60% of them have automatic transmission.”

Vigilance in supervision

Nibyiza who drives a manual car but has also driven an automatic car emphasized that legislators have to be vigilant and supervise that everyone drives a car that matches his or her qualification.

"The skills required for driving a manual car are higher than that for automatic ones. Therefore, if we want to avoid accidents, legislators have to have stringent measures that will prevent people from driving cars that they are not qualified to drive.”

Byiringiro had said that there will be two kinds of driving permits; one that will be given to someone who did the test using a car with manual mode and the other one to the person who used a car with automatic transmission.

Fabien Mugabo who is still seeking a driving license having failed the driving test multiple times, said that having skills of manual cars will always be essential.

"If there will be two types of driving licenses, then I would advise people to have skills of manual cars as well, because you never know; you can end up being compelled to drive a manual car, whether at a workplace or in any other situation.”