Napier students creating restricted drivers test simulation app

Sacred Heart College Year 12 students Violet Unwin, left Sophia Unwin and Amber Wright in back seat, Sneha Jensen, front seat driver, Chahat Dhami, front seat passenger and Adalyn Homan outside. Photo / Warren Buckland

A team of teens from a Napier school are developing a free app to simulate a restricted driver’s licence test that will help fellow youths learn safely and efficiently.

Road Ready NZ is the brainchild of Year 12 Sacred Heart College Napier students Adalyn Homan, Amber Wright, Sneha Jenson, Sophia Unwin, Chahat Dhami, and Violet Unwin, who are taking part in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES).

The app will utilise GPS technology to simulate a restricted test around the driver’s chosen area with traffic lights, roundabouts, and parking manoeuvres. Voice commands will guide users through the simulated test routes, offering tips and highlighting common mistakes to enhance learning and preparation.

“It would be just like if you were using a GPS, but it would be for a restricted test,” Jenson said.

They are collaborating with five students from Victoria University of Wellington, who will develop the app as part of their postgraduate studies.

Homan said the idea came from a conversation with her mum when she expressed frustration over the limited resources available for young drivers preparing for their tests.

“I had just taken my restricted test and I was complaining of the fact that there weren’t a lot of resources out there to help. I ended up going to driving school, but it wasn’t cheap,” Homan said.

“It made me realise how unfair it is that people who can’t afford the financial cost of getting their licence miss out.”

Jenson said the team had surveyed the wider school community to gauge whether anyone had broken the restrictions of the graduated driver licensing system and why, finding that people weren’t moving through the licence levels.

“They don’t have the means or the encouragement or their parents don’t have time to teach them and therefore they’re just staying on a learner or restricted licence,” Jenson said.

“We believe our app is a solution for that and will go a long way to helping people graduate through the levels and not break those rules.”

Homan said the team had sought advice on their idea, but were told that the project would be too difficult.

Despite initial doubts about the feasibility of developing an app, the team persevered, seeking guidance from industry experts before contacting universities around the country to collaborate with.

Dhami said Victoria responded, telling them a group of students doing their Masters in Software Development/Engineering could assist.

“It was really good, they were really onto it,” she said.

“We had weekly meetings every single week, even on our days off we put our time into it and we’re really excited to go down to Wellington next week and meet them in person.”

A draft app is expected to be ready by next month, with plans for marketing and refinement in the following months.