DEVELOPING: "DEVELOPING: UK Driving Test Booking System to Crack Down on AI Bots

Breaking News: UK Driving Test Booking System to Clamp Down on AI Bots Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has announced plans to limit third-party bookings of driving tests in a bid to reduce long waiting lists and prevent slots from being sold at inflated prices. Starting immediately, only learner drivers will be able to book driving tests, effectively banning instructors from doing so on behalf of their students. This move aims to stop online bots from exploiting people by reselling test slots, and Transport Secretary Alexander has admitted that waiting times for driving tests will not be brought down to seven weeks by summer 2026 as previously set. Currently, the average waiting time stands at 21.8 weeks. The backlog of driving tests grew significantly after the COVID-19 lockdown, with learner drivers facing long delays in securing test slots. The new rules will also place limits on the number of times a driver can move or swap a test, and the area they can move a test to once booked. The changes are expected to take effect immediately, with the Transport Secretary vowing to tackle the issue of online bots and long waiting lists. This is a developing story, and we will provide further updates as more information becomes available.