A Copenhagen-based eye-care technology company has joined forces with a major UK driver education provider to roll out mobile vision screening across the country. OptikosPrime's VisionCheck tool will be integrated into the Learn to Drive with RED app, giving learner drivers the ability to test their eyesight using nothing more than a smartphone camera. Those whose screening results suggest vision problems will be directed to book appointments with optometrists before sitting their practical driving exams. The move targets better early detection of sight issues in younger drivers and aims to boost road safety by tapping into RED Driver Training's nationwide footprint of over 1,700 instructors and its 1.3 million annual training hours. For OptikosPrime, this marks the biggest rollout of its consumer-facing transportation technology yet.
About OptikosPrime
The Danish startup builds smartphone-powered tools for vision assessment and eye care. Its portfolio spans VisionCheck, which detects potential refractive errors, and Argus, software that calculates eyesight prescription strength from a smartphone image. Rather than relying on traditional optical equipment, the company applies computer vision and image-processing algorithms to deliver vision checks. Its target markets include healthcare providers, retail environments and humanitarian organisations.
The Partnership
VisionCheck will be woven directly into RED's app and digital learning materials. The screening process takes less than a minute and uses only the smartphone's built-in camera and image analysis—no extra hardware needed. Learners flagged as having possible refractive errors receive guidance to visit an optometrist for a full examination. The aim is to catch vision problems before students move on to their practical driving assessments.
Why This Matters
In the UK, drivers must meet legal minimum eyesight standards, yet research suggests more than 1.2 million motorists may currently be driving below that threshold. Young drivers aged 17 to 24 represent just 6% of licence holders but feature in 24% of fatal and serious collisions, according to Department for Transport data. The partnership addresses this safety gap by making vision checks accessible at the moment learners are preparing for their tests.
What the Leaders Say
The greatest barrier to clear vision is that people simply do not realize when their eyesight has slipped. Driving is the ultimate example of why accessible, mobile-first screening matters. By deploying VisionCheck across RED's national UK network, OptikosPrime is taking optical tech out of clinical silos and putting it where it can do the most immediate good. Catching vision changes before a student earns their full license is a practical, scalable way software can save lives.
Anders Kofod-Petersen, CEO and co-founder of OptikosPrime
Being able to see clearly is the absolute bedrock of safe driving, yet eyesight is often taken for granted. Integrating OptikosPrime's technology into our Learn to Drive with RED app gives our students an effortless way to check their vision early. If correction is needed, they find out in advance, consult an optical professional, and gain the confidence to drive safely. This partnership helps us build better drivers before their very first in-vehicle lesson.
Seb Goldin, CEO of RED Driver Training
Most people only visit an optometrist once their vision has noticeably degraded. By taking screening out of clinical settings and embedding it directly into everyday consumer habits, we catch issues before they turn into real-world risks. Rolling this out across RED's British nationwide network proves that smart software can deliver preventive eye care at true national scale.
Ståle Fredlund Husby, COO and co-founder of OptikosPrime
About RED Driver Training
The Teesside-based company operates one of the UK's largest driver education networks, with more than 1,700 instructors delivering lessons and training resources. Its Learn to Drive with RED app connects student drivers with instructors and supplies digital learning materials to support their progress toward their driving licence.
For OptikosPrime, the deal opens access to a broad consumer audience outside traditional healthcare channels. By embedding vision screening into an established driver education platform, the company hopes to normalise early eyesight checks and prompt learners to seek professional help when needed. The collaboration represents OptikosPrime's largest consumer transportation sector deployment to date as it expands smartphone vision technology into new industries.
Source: ArcticStartup
