Special Supercars Permit: Australia in Gran Turismo Mode

Just like in the game Gran Turismo, it will now be necessary to have a special license in Australia to drive powerful cars.

This world is schizophrenic. We knew that, of course, but it will always surprise us. A state part of Australia – called South Australia (are you following?) with its capital in Adelaide – has become the first in the country (but also in the world) to introduce a special license allowing the driving of “very high power vehicles” (UHPV for Ultra High-Power Vehicle). This will come into force on December 1, 2024.

By that date, any owner of a car with a power-to-weight ratio exceeding 292 kW/tonne (that is 397 hp/tonne) will have to comply, which is why the deadline is relatively long – to allow everyone to be certified. However, such a power-to-weight ratio is not very restrictive, considering that a sports car today weighs on average 1500 kg, which corresponds to an authorized power of 600 hp.

This feeling of pompous decision-making is reinforced by the method of obtaining this “supplement” to the license, namely online training on the Internet to raise drivers’ awareness of the dangers of high-speed driving. However, another change accompanying this UHPV license is that it will now be legally forbidden to disconnect driver assistance systems in a vehicle in this state: ABS, traction control, EPS, etc. In case of violation or accident, fines will be very severe. “These reforms will ensure that individuals driving ultra-powerful vehicles take greater responsibility for their actions while giving authorities the power to prosecute those who violate our road laws and endanger others’ lives“.

This decision was born out of the death, in 2019, of a 15-year-old Australian girl hit by a Lamborghini driven recklessly. The South Australian government also decided to tighten sanctions against drivers who cause death, increasing driving bans from 12 months to 7 years.

In the introduction of this article, we mentioned schizophrenia: South Australia legislates on ultra-powerful cars without banning them. This state also marks the start of the legendary Stuart Highway, a road that crosses Australia from north to south passing through the sacred mountain Uluru. On Stuart Highway, several hundred-kilometer sections are not subject to any speed limit other than “the good judgment of the driver based on conditions“. This world is schizophrenic…

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