From December 4th, learner drivers will be required to pass a revised driving test which will include new manoeuvres, a longer independent driving section and a proportion spent operating a satellite navigation system. The changes are aimed at improving road safety and saving lives by providing tests of skill, knowledge and confidence which are better suited to modern requirements. Changes to the format are: ´ Increasing the 'independent driving' section of the test from 10 minutes to 20 ´ Asking candidates to follow directions using a satnav as well as following road signs ´ Using more 'real lifeî scenarios for manoeuvres, e.g. replacing 'reverse around a corner' with driving into and reversing out of parking bays ´ Asking candidates one of the two vehicle safety questions while driving Andrew Jones, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, said: 'We have some of the safest roads in the world but we are always looking to make them safer. 'These changes will help reduce the number of people killed or injured on our roads and equip new drivers with the skills they need to use our roads safely. 'Ensuring the driving test is relevant in the 21st century _ for example, the introduction of satnavs _ will go a long way towards doing this.î Bodies within the driver training industry _ including the RAC, the AA, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), driving instructor associations and more _ have shown support for the changes. The Transport Research Laboratory and DVSA also received positive feedback from 4,300 learner drivers and over 860 instructors after trialling the new test. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'We are very supportive of the revisions DVSA is making to the practical driving test, which will mean candidates undergo a far more realistic assessment of their readiness to take to the road unsupervised. 'Much has changed since the first driving test was taken in 1935, and it must be right that the test evolves, just as the cars we drive are themselves changing to incorporate ever more driver assist technology such as inbuilt satnav systems. 'Clearly driving examiners and instructors both need time to adjust to the new test, in particular to ensure that candidates are well-prepared, nevertheless it is good to know that the new test will be running by the end of this calendar year.î