New assistive technology opens roads for deaf drivers in Karachi

KARACHI: A flashing dashboard light now tells Munim Qazi what his ears cannot. When a nearby vehicle honks its horn, the signal points him toward the sound, allowing him to react while driving.

That technology is now helping deaf motorists obtain driving licenses in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), Government of Sindh, in collaboration with ConnectHear, launched the Deaf Driver Assistive Alert System Implementation Project on Saturday.

The initiative aims to improve road safety, support independent mobility and create employment opportunities for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Karachi.

"The biggest question always has been about mobility," ConnectHear Chief Executive Officer Azima Dhanjee told Pakistan TV Digital. She said many deaf people want to work for ride-hailing platforms to earn additional income, but have been unable to do so because they cannot obtain a driving license.

She said independent living depends on changing attitudes toward deaf people and giving them the tools to participate fully in society and the economy.

Law supports drivers with hearing disabilities

The project implements provisions of the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019. The law allows deaf people to drive using assistive technology, provides access to sign language interpretation at police stations and allows vehicles to carry stickers identifying the driver as deaf.

For years, Qazi said, the absence of a driving license meant repeated fines.

"Whenever the police would stop us on the road, we would explain that we didn't have a license. They would say, 'You are deaf; you cannot be granted a license.' But I always believed I could drive safely," he said.

As part of the project, ConnectHear installed the Traffic Surrounding Notifier (TSN) in more than 60 vehicles owned by deaf drivers across Karachi. The device detects sounds such as vehicle horns, emergency sirens and other road alerts, then converts them into visual signals on the dashboard.

"If a nearby vehicle sounds its horn, a steady light indicator immediately flashes on the dashboard. This tells us which direction we need to pay attention to," Qazi said.

Speaking through an interpreter, Irfan, the deaf inventor of the TSN device, said he drew inspiration from baby monitoring systems used by deaf parents that vibrate or flash when a child cries. He spent six months researching audio frequencies and developing the hardware.

ConnectHear also helped more than 60 deaf beneficiaries obtain learner's and permanent driving licenses. Some received their licenses during the launch ceremony.

Mandatory to pass driving test

Deputy Superintendent of Police Asif Kamali said applicants must first have the assistive device installed and verified before taking the same driving test required of every other motorist.

"A specialized assistive device is properly installed on the dashboard. Once that tech is in place, and provided they have the required driving skills, they undergo a standard, rigorous driving test exactly like any other citizen," he said.

Kamali said the motorists possess "extraordinary talent" and added that "their focus exceeds that of normal drivers."

For Qazi, the license also changes how deaf drivers are treated after traffic accidents.

"Previously, if even a minor traffic accident occurred, the blame was instantly pinned entirely on us simply because we were deaf. But today, we possess legal licenses. This completely changes things. We can now drive with an immense sense of freedom," he said.

Representatives from ride-hailing and mobility companies attended the launch as part of efforts to connect beneficiaries with employment opportunities.

DEPD Secretary Tuaha Ahmed Farooqui said assistive technology is allowing people with disabilities to live and work independently. He said the department plans to expand similar opportunities across Sindh.

Transport and Mass Transit Secretary Asad Zaman said that equal access to mobility is a basic right and called for continued cooperation among government departments to improve the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Women drivers
The project also included deaf women. Pakistan Association of the Deaf Director Farhat Iqbal said about 10 deaf women have been trained to ride scooters under the Sindh government's Pink Scooty scheme. The next step is to help them obtain official driving licenses.

"Our deaf women, or women with disabilities, are so powerful. They are double marginalized. They have a disability, and they are women. We always forget them while we are doing initiatives," Dhanjee said.

She said ConnectHear received DEPD funding this year to help deaf people obtain driving licenses through assistive technology. She said she hopes the program will expand across Sindh and later throughout Pakistan.

Since 2017, ConnectHear has developed a virtual sign language interpretation platform and an AI-based sign language recognition solution. The organization has also partnered with more than 150 companies to improve accessibility and employment for persons with disabilities.