Israel Develops Driving Simulator for Young Drivers

Israel's National Road Safety Authority (RADA) plans to invest 975,000 shekels in developing a digital driving simulator for novice drivers. The authority intends to sign a two-year contract with Professor Avinoam Borowsky from Ben-Gurion University's Industrial Engineering and Management department. His team will create the methodological framework for a digital tool designed to train drivers, primarily those under 24, to recognize hazardous road situations promptly. RADA will later issue a separate tender for the technological development of the simulator itself. The simulator will feature scenarios based on accident types common among young drivers in Israel. Initially, the system may target newly licensed drivers rather than driving school students. The "Calcalist" newspaper notes that driving simulators are already integrated into driver training in several countries. In Singapore, simulator sessions are mandatory before students drive on highways. In Finland, driving schools use them before practical lessons, and in the UK, they can be part of the preparation for practical exams. In Israel, such systems are currently rare, mainly used in advanced driving schools.