Barnsley College has become the first college in the UK to launch a virtual driver training academy for further education students. The DAS Academy, run with the Driver Accreditation Scheme (DAS), began on 18 September 2026 and uses virtual reality and immersive technology to let students build driving experience and hazard perception skills before they get behind the wheel of a real car.
The college says the aim is to address the cost of learning to drive, which its principal described as prohibitive for many students, particularly those from some of the most deprived wards in the country. He put the cost of learning to drive at £2,472.
How it works
Photos from the launch show a triple-screen driving simulator rig and standalone VR headsets with hand controllers. The simulator seat carries Tenstar branding. According to BBC reporting, the virtual sessions are accompanied by in-person driving lessons before students apply to take their practical tests.
Scale and cost
- Up to 200 students each year will receive support to pass their theory test and fund their provisional licence, alongside access to the VR and immersive technology.
- The college principal said the scheme would cost the college less than £10,000 a year, which he called negligible.
Local employers
Home Instead Sheffield and Barnsley has expressed interest in the scheme, with its recruitment and retention manager saying it could help the firm offer more young people employment with training and a career pathway in care.
The college has described the academy as officially launched, and it is operating with its first students.
