A Presidential Order approving the use of automatic transmission vehicles in driving tests was officially published on July 25, following its initial approval by the Cabinet in April.

Although the use of automatic cars has been long-awaited, the order does not take immediate effect, according to the Rwanda National Police (RNP).

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"Now that the order is gazetted, the legal aspect is complete. What remains is for us to work on our side and make the necessary adjustments,” RNP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner of Police Boniface Rutikanga, told The New Times.

The Presidential Order specifies that licenses obtained using automatic vehicles will bear the letters ‘AT’ (Automatic Transmission), except for A1 and B1 categories, he said.

Rutikanga added that the RNP is currently coordinating with the designer of the licences to finalise the new license designs.

"By next week, we expect to have the final design. If approved, it will then be sent to NIDA (the National Identity Agency) to ensure immediate issuance of licenses, similar to the current manual testing system,” he explained.

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Although no precise date has been set for using automatic vehicles in driving tests, Rutikanga said that mid-September might be a feasible target.

"We are doing our best to finalize the process to avoid delays in issuing driving licenses,” he noted.

In the meantime, Rutikanga encouraged individuals to begin training with automatic vehicles and advised driving schools to acquire such cars. "We ask for patience as we finalize the process. Many people are eager to take their exams using automatic vehicles,” he said.

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People who pass the driving test with an automatic transmission vehicle will be permitted to drive only automatic transmission vehicles within their license category. In other words, they will not be allowed to drive manual transmission cars.

Rutikanga assured the public that the procedure for registering for the driving tests would remain the same, using the Irembo platform.

Additionally, he highlighted that automatic driving tests will be available at various locations beyond the Busanza Driving and Testing Centre in Kicukiro District.

"The tests will remain largely unchanged, except that automatic vehicle tests will exclude gear shifting and the 'démarrage en côte' (hill start) component required for manual vehicles,” he added.

He further said that RNP will announce the official start date for automatic driving tests once all preparations are complete.