Thousands of California drivers are being required to retake their knowledge tests because the Department of Motor Vehicles suspects them of cheating.
Last month, the DMV sent letters to around 11,000 drivers who had passed the written test informing them that abnormalities were detected in their results. They were instructed to retake and pass the exam within 30 days or have their license canceled.
The letters spurred mass confusion and frustration as drivers were not provided with information on what specific issues were found. Some speculated that the letters were due to an internal technical error at the DMV or related to the department’s use of AI. Many d
This week, the department issued a follow-up statement refuting both of those claims.
“These irregularities are test taker related and not the result of an internal DMV technical issue, or involvement of artificial intelligence,” a department spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.
The spokesperson said that through “routine internal monitoring,” the department identified patterns in driver knowledge test results indicating that “some individuals may have attempted to circumvent the testing process using various cheating methods.”
Although receipt of the letter does not indicate that someone definitively cheated, an unspecified number of cases have been referred to district attorneys for prosecution, the spokesperson said. The DMV did not provide further clarification on what patterns were identified, citing a need to keep its investigative methods confidential and protect the integrity of the process.
Last week, state Sens. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) and Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) sent letters to the DMV demanding information on why certain tests were flagged and steps the department took to ensure people who lawfully obtained their license were not inadvertently penalized.
“Because the ability to legally drive is essential to many Californians to maintain employment, obtain medical care and meet family obligations, actions that place a driver’s license at risk should be supported by clear, objective and transparent processes,” wrote Cortese.
Jiwon Kim said she was shocked when she received the DMV letter nearly a year after she had passed her written exam at the Whittier DMV. As a Korean immigrant whose second language is English, she said she studied hard for the test last July and had felt very accomplished when she passed.
On Tuesday, she went to the Fullerton DMV to retake the written test and failed. Her license was canceled on the spot.
“When she took the retest, there was someone behind her just constantly looking and constantly observing her, and she felt that pressure negatively affected her performance,” her husband, Daniel Kim, said.
Now, she is worried about how she will get to work every day and frustrated that she was never told why her original results were invalidated. She worries that perhaps her Korean name or immigrant status were a factor in her test being flagged.
David Specht retook his test in Sacramento a week after receiving the DMV letter last month. He theorized that his initial test was flagged because he completed it very quickly. Although he passed again on Tuesday, he said he once again completed it swiftly and hoped this wouldn’t result in his test being flagged a second time.
“Maybe they need to adjust the criteria with their system that flags these ‘irregularities,’” said Specht. “At the end of the day, they end up just punishing people who are either fast test takers or know the material.”
Sam Burgin also passed the exam after being instructed to retake it, but shares other people’s frustration over the lack of clear information from the DMV. He is curious whether his initial results were flagged because he had an Apple watch and an iPad on his person while taking the first test.
“I think they need to be a little bit more specific because it helps us as test takers know what behaviors we should avoid,” he said, “even inadvertent behaviors that may be apparently wrongly flagged as ‘cheating’ according to the DMV.”