Drivers

A driver is a person who operates a vehicle. Drivers may operate automobiles, trucks, buses, trains, aircraft, boats, motorcycles, and other motorized conveyances. In most jurisdictions, driving requires a license issued after completing training and passing tests. Professional drivers may face additional regulations, such as hours-of-service rules, medical fitness requirements, and vehicle inspections. Safety practices include obeying traffic laws, defensive driving, routine vehicle maintenance, and consideration for pedestrians and other road users. The term can also refer to people who drive for ride-hailing services, delivery fleets, or public transportation systems, where performance and safety are subject to employer policies and regulatory standards.

In computing, a device driver is a software component that enables the operating system to communicate with a hardware device. The driver translates OS commands into device-specific operations and may manage resources, interrupts, and power usage. Common examples include drivers for printers, graphics cards, network adapters, and storage devices. Drivers are often provided by hardware manufacturers and may be distributed as part of the operating system, as standalone updates, or as open-source packages. They vary by operating system architecture; for example, Windows and Linux use different driver models, and some drivers run in kernel mode while others run in user mode. Keeping drivers up to date is important for stability, performance, and security, but incompatible or malicious drivers can cause system crashes or compromise security. Management tasks include installation, updating, rollback, and, when necessary, removal or reconfiguration.

Together, the term drivers encompasses both human operators of vehicles and software components that enable computer systems to interact with hardware.