[RahulNagaraj]

According to media reports, supercar owners in South Australia will soon need to earn a special licence to drive their Ultra High-Powered Vehicles (UHPV). The Australian jurisdiction is said to have announced the new licencing scheme last week, while also stating that stricter penalties would be imposed for dangerous driving.

The proposal to introduce a special license was announced last year, with the rule now set to be implemented from December 1, 2024. As per the new rule, supercar owners will be required to earn a "U License" to drive their UHPV.



Reports suggest that 200 models come under the UHPV categorisation. According to the government, any vehicle with a gross weight of less than 4,500 kg and a power-to-weight ratio of more than 370 BHP per tonne will be considered a UHPV. However, buses and motorcycles are exempt from this rule. As an example, a Lamborghini Huracan has a power-to-weight ratio of 391 BHP/tonne, requiring its owners to have a U License to drive it. However, a BMW M3 owner doesn't need the special license as its power-to-weight ratio is 298 BHP/tonne.

Drivers applying for a U License will have to complete an online training course, currently still in development. The course is said to ensure drivers of UHPVs are aware of the risks while handling such vehicles. In addition, owners of UHPVs will have to keep safety features like ABS, traction control, and stability control switched on at all times while on public roads. Those who don't will face severe fines of up to AUD $5,000.

South Australia attorney-general Kyam Maher stated, “These reforms will ensure people who drive ultra high-powered vehicles take greater responsibility for their actions while making sure that authorities have the power to prosecute those who flout our road laws and put others’ lives at risk.”

Source: Drive.au

Link to Team-BHP news

[GTO]

All of us will agree that it takes an entirely different skillset to handle 500+ BHP, than 200 BHP. Supercars are scary fast & many can be unforgiving, catching even the best of drivers out.

IMHO, there should be separate classes for motorcycles as well. Big bikes too have insane acceleration.

Regardless, best way to start your driving / riding career is small (I started with 30 - 40 BHP Padminis & 800s) and work your way up.

[GForceEnjoyer]

The differentiation of the driving licence sounds good on paper. 370 hp/ton is a massive amount of power. To give some perspective, the 2015 Audi R8 V10 FSI Quattro and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (with the 6.2 litre supercharged V8) fall just a little under that figure.

However, I wonder how effective an online course really is for such a purpose. Similar to how the Indian driving test barely trains drivers for real world situations, how good would an online course be for teaching supercar owners to stay within limits?

I feel that something like this would work much better if it was made a part of the standard driver training routine, since the owners of a modest family sedan and a supercar alike should be aware of their cars' and their own limits and stay within them. It's just that both will be wildly different.

[sh3lby]

I think the requirement of a special license is justified, especially since the sheer significance of so much power has been pinted out by BHPian GForceEjoyer...

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

370 hp/ton is a massive amount of power. To give some perspective, the 2015 Audi R8 V10 FSI Quattro and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (with the 6.2 litre supercharged V8) fall just a little under that figure.

However, I wonder how effective an online course really is for such a purpose. Similar to how the Indian driving test barely trains drivers for real world situations, how good would an online course be for teaching supercar owners to stay within limits?

Also agreed, an online course probably isn't enough when it comes to UHPVs

However the reuqirement of keeping TRC, Stability Control etc. on at all times doesn't make sense...since if someone has bought such a vehicle and is equipped with the skills to tame such beasts (as this law is trying to achieve) then why should they be stopped from using the car to its full potential?

[Draken]

Originally Posted by sh3lby

However the reuqirement of keeping TRC, Stability Control etc. on at all times doesn't make sense...since if someone has bought such a vehicle and is equipped with the skills to tame such beasts (as this law is trying to achieve) then why should they be stopped from using the car to its full potential?

I dont think the course is meant to certify only those 'equipped with the skills to tame such beasts'. Its much safer to have those turned on. Owners can still turn it off and drive on public roads. I dont think its easy to detect that unless doing so leads to a crash or behavior not expected on public roads like drifting, etc

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

According to media reports, supercar owners in South Australia will soon need to earn a special licence to drive their Ultra High-Powered Vehicles (UHPV)... Drivers applying for a U License will have to complete an online training course, currently still in development.

Great move, but just completing online course may not be of much use. Theory and practical are entirely different worlds. Hands-on training and evaluation should be added.

In addition, owners of UHPVs will have to keep safety features like ABS, traction control, and stability control switched on at all times while on public roads. Those who don't will face severe fines of up to AUD $5,000.

Originally Posted by sh3lby

However the reuqirement of keeping TRC, Stability Control etc. on at all times doesn't make sense...since if someone has bought such a vehicle and is equipped with the skills to tame such beasts (as this law is trying to achieve) then why should they be stopped from using the car to its full potential?

These limitations are being put for use of UHPVs on public roads. People can take these vehicles to proving grounds, access controlled tracks to unleash and enjoy the full potential. I am sure those who can afford these UHPVs will find it easy to book slots on proving grounds etc.

Originally Posted by Draken

Owners can still turn it off and drive on public roads. I dont think its easy to detect that unless doing so leads to a crash or behavior not expected on public roads like drifting, etc

I think, though not sure, ON/ OFF status of these safety mechanisms are stored in some controller memory. So, cops would only need handy devices to tap into access ports (like OBD port) to find the status/ history.

[Draken]

Originally Posted by AutoNoob

I think, though not sure, ON/ OFF status of these safety mechanisms are stored in some controller memory. So, cops would only need handy devices to tap into access ports (like OBD port) to find the status/ history.

All of these are usually buttons thats easy to toggle. Its easy to turn off if a police car flags or need to stop for some checking. Even if the car has history of these, it seems like an intrusion to plug OBD2 adaptor to a car to check these for simple traffic stops. This is similar to searching a car and some places have strong rules against such searches without proper reason. But if they broke some other rule and are stopped for it maybe then it can be checked. I guess it all depends on Australian laws.

[sh3lby]

Originally Posted by Draken

Its much safer to have those turned on. Owners can still turn it off and drive on public roads. I dont think its easy to detect that unless doing so leads to a crash or behavior not expected on public roads like drifting, etc

Yes it's safer, but if drivers should still be allowed to turn it off (at their own risk), anyways there's no way of detecting that unless they crash. Basically they shouldn't turn it off but at least have the possibility with them.