- What it is: the ISTQB Certified Tester Automotive Software Tester (CT-AuT) certifies that you can adapt software testing to automotive electric/electronic (E/E) system projects.
- Current version: syllabus v2.1 (April 30, 2025), updated to Automotive SPICE 4.0, ISO 26262:2018, AUTOSAR R23-11 and MISRA C:2025. It belongs to the Specialist stream.
- Prerequisite: the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification.
- Content: 4 chapters and a minimum of 12 hours of accredited training; the standards chapter (ASPICE, ISO 26262, AUTOSAR) takes 300 minutes.
- Exam: 40 questions, 40 points, pass mark 26 (65%), 60 minutes (75 if it isn't your native language).
- Who it is for: testers, validation engineers, developers and leads working for carmakers (OEMs) or automotive suppliers.
A modern car has dozens of electronic control units and millions of lines of code. A defect in braking, steering or driver-assistance software is not a minor bug: it can cost lives. That is why the automotive industry works with its own standards and expects its testers to know them. The ISTQB Automotive Software Tester (CT-AuT) certification connects what you learned at Foundation Level with that reality. This guide explains what it covers, what the exam looks like and how to prepare.
What CT-AuT is and where it sits in the ISTQB portfolio
CT-AuT belongs to the ISTQB Specialist stream, among the industry-focused certifications. It originated in Germany (the German Testing Board owns the original content), and the English version was approved in 2018.
The current version is v2.1, released on April 30, 2025. It is a minor update: the learning objectives did not change, but the content was updated to the latest versions of the standards it cites (ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, ISO 26262:2018, Automotive SPICE 4.0, AUTOSAR Classic R23-11, MISRA C:2025 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148:2018), to CTFL 4.0 and to the current ISTQB glossary. Learning objective codes now start with "AuT".
The syllabus suggests that after CT-AuT the natural path is the Advanced Level (Test Analyst, Technical Test Analyst and Test Manager) and then the Expert Level. You can see the full map in our ISTQB certification guide.
Who it is for and prerequisites
According to the syllabus, it is aimed at anyone involved in software testing in the automotive domain: testers, test analysts, test engineers, consultants, test managers, user acceptance testers and developers. It also serves anyone who needs a basic understanding of automotive testing: project, safety, quality and development managers, business analysts and consultants.
It is especially relevant if you work, or want to work, in an automotive hub such as those in northern and central Mexico, at engineering centers of global suppliers, or on embedded software projects for the industry.
Official requirements
- Mandatory: the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification and an interest in testing in automotive development projects.
- Strongly recommended: some background in development or testing (for example, six months as a tester or developer), an accredited course, or initial experience on automotive E/E system projects.
What you will be able to do: the syllabus business outcomes
| Code | What you will be able to do |
|---|---|
| AuT-BO1 | Collaborate effectively in a test team. |
| AuT-BO2 | Adapt Foundation Level test techniques to specific project requirements. |
| AuT-BO3 | Consider the basic requirements of the relevant standards (Automotive SPICE and ISO 26262) when selecting suitable test techniques. |
| AuT-BO4 | Support the team in risk-based test planning and apply known elements of structuring and prioritization. |
| AuT-BO5 | Apply virtual test environments (MiL, SiL and HiL). |
The CT-AuT syllabus chapter by chapter
| Chapter | Minimum time | Max K-level | Key topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to automotive software testing | 30 min | K2 | Conflicting objectives, growing complexity, impact of standards, system lifecycle, release process |
| 2. Standards for testing E/E systems | 300 min | K3 | Automotive SPICE, ISO 26262 and ASIL, AUTOSAR, comparison with CTFL |
| 3. Testing in a virtual environment | 160 min | K3 | Test environments, open and closed loop, ECU, MiL, SiL, HiL, V-model |
| 4. Static and dynamic testing | 230 min | K3 | MISRA C, requirements review with ISO 29148, MC/DC, back-to-back, fault injection, technique selection |
Chapter 1. Introduction to automotive software testing
A short chapter that sets the scene. Automotive development lives with conflicting objectives (more features, lower cost, less time, top quality) and complexity that grows with every vehicle generation. Standards influence time, cost, quality and risk.
It also presents the six generic system lifecycle stages from ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1, with their typical test activities: concept (planning and strategy), development (the full test process), production (end-of-line testing), utilization, support (maintenance testing) and retirement (migration testing). It closes with the tester's role in the release: the final test report covers tested items, known defects, metrics and a release recommendation, for example for closed-track or public-road testing.
Chapter 2. Standards for testing E/E systems
The longest chapter (300 minutes) and the most important for the exam.
Automotive SPICE (ASPICE) is a model for assessing the maturity of development processes. It has two dimensions: the process dimension (which processes exist, such as system engineering SYS and software engineering SWE) and the capability dimension (how well they are performed, with levels 0 to 3 that you will see on the exam). From a testing perspective, ASPICE requires a test strategy with regression verification criteria, testware requirements and traceability between requirements, test cases and results. A K3 objective asks you to apply verification measures for software units.
ISO 26262 is the functional safety standard for E/E systems in road vehicles. You will cover its objective, safety culture, the safety lifecycle, the parts relevant to testers and the key concept: ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level). After a hazard analysis and risk assessment (HARA), each safety goal gets a level from ASIL A (low) to ASIL D (high); below A, the requirement is not relevant to functional safety. The ASIL determines which test methods the standard recommends. The K3 objective is to use the ISO 26262 method tables: for example, for an ASIL C requirement, identify which methods are highly recommended (++) and which are recommended (+), and choose a justified combination when alternatives exist.
AUTOSAR is the open, standardized automotive software architecture. The syllabus focuses on AUTOSAR Classic, with three layers per ECU: application (SW-C components), runtime environment (RTE) and basic software (BSW). For testers, AUTOSAR makes it possible to test components early by simulating the BSW and RTE, to observe communication on the real ECU and to make integrating several ECUs easier.
The chapter closes by comparing the objectives of ASPICE (process maturity) and ISO 26262 (functional safety) and their test levels with those of CTFL.
Chapter 3. Testing in a virtual environment
Testing in a real car is expensive, slow and sometimes dangerous, and the hardware arrives late. So the industry simulates. The chapter explains the parts of an automotive test environment (hardware, simulation software, environment models, communication, measurement tools and lab) and the difference between closed-loop systems (the system's output is fed back to its input through an environment model, as with ABS) and open-loop systems (the tester defines the inputs directly). It also reviews the functions, databases and communication protocols of an ECU.
It then presents the XiL environments:
- MiL (Model-in-the-Loop): the function model is tested, for example in a modeling tool, very early in development.
- SiL (Software-in-the-Loop): the compiled code is tested on a PC, without the final hardware.
- HiL (Hardware-in-the-Loop): the real ECU is tested while connected to a real-time simulator that imitates the rest of the vehicle.
The K3 objective is to assign test scope to the right environment. Example: adaptive cruise control logic is validated first in MiL; integration with the base software in SiL; and real response times and CAN bus communication in HiL.
Chapter 4. Static and dynamic testing
On the static side you will cover the MISRA C guidelines, rules for writing safe and reliable C code for embedded systems, and apply (K3) a requirements review using the quality characteristics of ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148: each requirement should be, for example, necessary, unambiguous, verifiable and consistent.
On the dynamic side, the star technique is MC/DC (modified condition/decision testing), a K3 objective: design test cases to achieve its coverage. The syllabus example: for the decision E = B1 AND B2, multiple condition testing needs 4 cases, but MC/DC reaches full coverage with 3 (true/false, false/true and true/true), because in each pair only one factor changes the outcome.
The chapter is rounded out by back-to-back testing (comparing two versions, such as the model and the generated code, using one as a pseudo-oracle for the other), fault injection (deliberately causing faults, such as a sensor that stops responding, to check how the system reacts), requirements-based testing and a K3 objective for choosing techniques and approaches based on context: state of the art, test basis, risk and test level.
Download the official syllabus
Download the current syllabus to study from the original source. At the time of writing, it is available in English.
The CT-AuT exam
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 40 (multiple choice) |
| Total points | 40 |
| Pass mark | 26 points (65%) |
| Duration | 60 minutes; 75 minutes if you take it in a language that isn't your native language (+25%) |
| Distribution by K-level (v2.1) | 14 K1 questions, 19 K2 and 7 K3 |
| Prerequisite | ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification |
Source: ISTQB exam structure tables, which have listed v2.1 since August 2025. The 7 K3 questions usually come from ASPICE, the ISO 26262 method tables, XiL assignment, MC/DC and technique selection.
Exam formats
- Online with remote proctoring (iSQI FLEX): from home, 24/7, with a webcam, microphone, a second camera (your phone) and a government-issued ID. Book ahead and confirm the minimum lead time when you book.
- Pearson VUE: iSQI states the exam is also available through Pearson for self-study candidates.
- At your company: for 6 or more people, Cool Testers brings a proctor for an in-person exam, a practical option for automotive supplier teams.
Paper exams are no longer offered. At the time of writing, iSQI offers CT-AuT in English and German, with 25% extra time if the exam language isn't your native language. The certification is worth the same in any language.
Where to buy it
- Directly from iSQI, our partner and official exam provider, if you are paying yourself.
- Through Cool Testers, with 1 or 2 attempts and 1 year to take it, if your company pays, you get reimbursed or you need an invoice: buy or get a quote for your certification exam.
Questions? Message us on WhatsApp.
How to prepare for CT-AuT
Cool Testers doesn't currently offer a dedicated CT-AuT course. Here is the path we recommend:
- Start with Foundation Level. It is mandatory, and CT-AuT is built on it: it constantly compares CTFL levels and techniques with ASPICE and ISO 26262. Take our ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL 4.0) course, with 40 live hours, a pre-recorded course, an Express review course and 4 practice exams, and check the ISTQB certification guide.
- Master the automotive vocabulary: E/E, ECU, OEM, ASIL, HARA, SW-C, RTE, BSW, MiL, SiL, HiL. The syllabus includes a list of abbreviations and domain terms; use it as your glossary.
- Give chapter 2 about 40% of your time: ASPICE capability levels, ASIL and the ISO 26262 method tables.
- Practice MC/DC by hand with 2- and 3-condition decisions until finding the minimum set of cases becomes automatic.
- Do XiL assignment exercises: take car functions (automatic lights, ABS, parking assist) and decide what you would test in MiL, SiL and HiL.
- Take the official sample exam and review every wrong answer.
Is your company an automotive supplier that needs to prepare a team? Request a corporate training proposal.
Benefits and career paths
- The industry's language: interviews with automotive suppliers talk about ASPICE, ASIL and HiL from day one; CT-AuT shows you know them.
- Support for ASPICE assessments: understanding what ASPICE evaluates in testing (strategy, traceability, regression) makes you a key player when your project goes through an assessment.
- A gateway to critical software: what you learn about functional safety and MC/DC also applies in other embedded domains.
- International recognition: useful for working at engineering centers serving carmakers in Europe, Asia and North America.
Related roles: automotive software tester, validation and verification engineer, HiL test engineer, ECU integration engineer and embedded software quality analyst.
How it relates to other certifications and what comes next
- Technical Test Analyst (CTAL-TTA): the natural next step; it goes deeper into white-box techniques such as MC/DC and technical quality characteristics.
- Model-Based Testing (CT-MBT): very useful where development is model-based and testing happens in MiL.
- Test Automation Engineering (CTAL-TAE): HiL and SiL test benches run on automation.
- Test Analyst (CTAL-TA) and Test Management (CTAL-TM): the other Advanced Level certifications the syllabus recommends.
- Security Test Engineer (CT-STE): automotive cybersecurity is a growing field.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CT-AuT certification?
It is the ISTQB Certified Tester Automotive Software Tester. It certifies that you can adapt Foundation Level techniques to automotive projects, taking into account Automotive SPICE, ISO 26262, AUTOSAR and virtual test environments such as MiL, SiL and HiL.
Which version of the CT-AuT syllabus is current?
v2.1, released on April 30, 2025. It is a minor update of v2.0: the learning objectives did not change, but the content was updated to ASPICE 4.0, ISO 26262:2018, AUTOSAR R23-11, MISRA C:2025 and CTFL 4.0.
What are the CT-AuT exam prerequisites?
You need the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification. ISTQB also recommends some development or testing experience, an accredited course or experience on automotive E/E projects, but these are not mandatory.
What is the CT-AuT exam like?
It has 40 questions worth 40 points in total; you pass with 26 (65%). It lasts 60 minutes, or 75 if you don't take it in your native language.
Do I need to know C programming?
It isn't required, but it helps. The syllabus uses MISRA C and MC/DC coverage examples; understanding logical conditions and basic code makes those questions easier.
Which languages is the CT-AuT exam available in?
At the time of writing, iSQI offers it in English and German. If you take it in a language that isn't your native language, you get 25% extra time, and the certification is worth the same.
Does Cool Testers offer a CT-AuT course?
Not at the moment. We recommend starting with the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL 4.0) course, which is a prerequisite, and preparing with the official syllabus and sample exam. For company teams, ask us for a quote.