We know that driving tests, or more importantly, booking them is a hot topic for you. This follows the recent changes which came into force on how tests can be booked.
The new booking platform we are working on will not create more tests. However, it will make the process of booking a test much more user-focused.
We last updated you about the progress of the Driver Services Platform (DSP) project back in September 2025 when we brought Kainos onboard to build the new system.
A lot has happened in the last 10 months.
A service built around its users, for its users
When we welcomed Kainos to the team last year, they joined us with a very clear goal: to build a new system to book and schedule car tests, designed for those who use it.
To build a system for a user, the first thing to do is to understand them. So, the team from Kainos immersed themselves in talking to people who use the current service the most. Externally, this is predominantly learner drivers.
Understanding how they want the service to work for them is key. How do they search for tests? What parameters do they use? Possibly more importantly, what in the current system could be improved?
But are the users of the new system just external?
Absolutely not! Within DVSA there are teams of people who use the current booking system every day and will need to do the same with the new version.
For example:
- our deployment team makes sure that there are examiners in the right place to do tests
- the customer service team uses the system to help handle calls they get every day from learner drivers to help book and manage their test
These are just a couple of examples - the full list is much longer.
Collecting the research from each audience is just the start of the process.
The next challenge is to interpret what the information is saying and turn the answers into a service that delivers what users have asked for.
Working with existing systems
As well as making a system that works for our users, Kainos also needs to make sure it will work alongside current systems used when booking a driving test. This is no mean feat as among other things the system needs to:
- talk to DVLA systems to check users’ entitlements
- check the theory test system to show the correct test has been completed
- work with the payment system to pay for the test
- send the details to the examiner’s iPad ahead of the test
- if the test is successful, send the results to DVLA so that a license can be created.
Creating something that can integrate with so many systems is achievable in principle, but the real test comes when we see it in action in a real scenario.
A pilot to test the principle
Before we roll out the system more widely, we need to check that it works on a much smaller scale. In this case, one day of testing for one driving examiner at one driving test centre.
We are choosing to start small on purpose. If something does not work as expected, we want to find out when the impact is limited to a handful of people — not thousands. The test centre we are using for the pilot is Durham. We have spoken to local approved driving instructors (ADIs) to find some of their pupils who are ready to take their test and be part of the pilot.
After the pilot has run we will share the outcomes with you and update you on the next steps.
Building on small steps
The new service will be built in small stages. This allows us to keep control of the development while testing smaller pieces of the system separately to make sure they all work before putting them together. This approach prevents making large changes where it is more difficult to spot the part that goes wrong if there’s a problem.
This approach of building and testing in small iterations is fundamental to how we are working. It means we can see the full impact of each change before we make the next one, and it means we are not committing to large-scale implementation before we know the system is ready.
We plan to run further small testing events towards the end of the year. This will help us to work out the best way build and introduce the new system.
After the pilot has run we will share the outcomes with you and update on the next steps.
13 comments
Comment by Brian Thomson posted on
As all the above works in the background at present, I would be unaware of any update changes unless actual driving tests ceased coming on the system and now instructors have no OBS access for cars, we would have to rely on students telling us. Thank you for posting that further improvements are planned but now we are "out of the loop" commenting on them is difficult.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for the comment. We will be providing other updates when we have them.
Comment by Jamshaid posted on
Great to see the development.
Comment by Driving Instrucor posted on
Waffle!
You need to sort the booking system out. Its worse than before. 6 month wait is common and from what I see no cancellations are ever displayed. Why not do this. When a student pases the theory test issue then a test date 3 m onths forward at a test centre within 1 hours drive of the theory centre. That should be enough time to learn to drive. 10 days prior to this test date they confirm they will take it. If they dont confirm they lose it and it is released to others seeking a retest. If the student fails a 3rd time they have an additional learning period of further 3 months and a corresponding test date issued. Again they must confirm this date 10 days prior but must produce proof they have taken min 5 lessons with an ADI.
The sustem needs a radical overhaul!
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We want to reassure you that the new driving test booking service will work very differently to the current one and will make the process of booking a test much more user-focused. We will update and engage with instructors about our approach once we have tested it further.
Comment by Tim Clayton posted on
Sounds like an ideal way to proceed. Thank you for your much improved communication in recent months.
Comment by Chris posted on
So what does this mean for the ADI and the student ?, it seems it’s all for Dvsa , what benifit will come off this for the people on the ground ? Or did I miss something !
Comment by Lucy posted on
The new booking platform we are working on will make the process of booking a test much more user-focused for learner drivers. After the pilot has run, we will share the outcomes with you and update you on the next steps.
Comment by Chris posted on
It’s a shame the DVSA haven’t built a free test cancellation finder service into the new booking system, so learners are able to find a nearer test date more easily considering the length of time from first booking a test to when they can eventually take it?
There are proven sites / apps out there that could have been utilised if they had taken the time to really understand the users!
Comment by Lucy posted on
The new service is being designed around users' needs and is being built in small increments, starting with the minimal requirements to run the service and ensure it works with the other systems. We have engaged with driving instructors and learner drivers to take their thoughts into account during the design process and once we have fully rolled out the new service across the whole network, we will be able to work on new features.
Comment by Andy Hughes posted on
Please please please, make the system allow for push notifications and automated swaps and bookings, just like the apps did.
Comment by Lucy posted on
We have worked closely with the driver training industry and learner drivers to make sure that the new system will include features that will make it more user focused. At this stage we are working on making sure the basics work across the whole network and we will be looking at introducing additional features in the future.
Comment by Amjad Ali posted on
Best of luck hopefully it’s work thanks for updating