Tailoring the driving test to reflect an expected surge in driverless cars is among reforms being proposed by the Government which will be the most far-reaching since the driving test was introduced in 1935, The Independent on Sunday has reported.

Other proposed reforms include closing test centres, cutting jobs at motoring agencies, increasing fees for non-essential services such as personalised number plates, and raising the age at which drivers must declare that they are fit to drive from 70 to 75.

The Department for Transport is preparing a consultation document on the reforms which will be published in October.  A draft has been obtained by The Independent on Sunday.

The consultation will form the basis of next year’s formal strategy on the future of the country’s three motoring agencies – the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the Vehicle Certification Authority (VCA).

The newspaper reported that the Government is undertaking a separate review of the driving test and is trialling an examination that asks learners to follow satellite navigation directions for 20 minutes.