Specialist certification guide
CT-AuT v2.1.1: Automotive Software Tester
Consider this qualification when your testing work involves automotive electronics or embedded software and you need to understand its environments and constraints. Check the entry requirements below before you book.
Syllabus: ISTQB CT-AuT Syllabus v2.1.1, Exam facts checked: October 4, 2026
Is CT-AuT the right certification for you?
Consider this qualification when your testing work involves automotive electronics or embedded software and you need to understand its environments and constraints.
When to choose another route: If you are learning embedded development from scratch, build system and interface knowledge alongside CTFL. Compare CTAL-TTA for general technical test analysis or CT-MBT for modeling and test-generation decisions beyond the automotive context.
Exam at a glance
40multiple-choice questions
40total available points
26 / 40minimum passing score in points
60 minstandard exam duration
These figures describe CT-AuT v2.1.1. Use the listed point threshold, rather than assuming a fixed number of correct answers on a weighted exam.
Source: Official exam structures and rules. Appointment arrangements and any approved extra time must be confirmed with your provider.
How the exam is weighted
Question count and available points are different measures. Use the chapter allocation to set priorities, then check your own weak learning objectives. Every chapter remains examinable.
| Syllabus chapter | Questions | Points | Question share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to Automotive Software Testing | 3 | 3 | 7.5% |
| 2. Standards for the Testing of Electric/Electronic (E/E) Systems | 18 | 18 | 45% |
| 3. Testing in a Virtual Environment | 13 | 13 | 32.5% |
| 4. Static Testing and Dynamic Testing | 6 | 6 | 15% |
| Total | 40 | 40 | 100% |
Start your planning with Standards for the Testing of Electric/Electronic (E/E) Systems, which accounts for 18 of 40 questions. Give additional attention to difficult application and analysis objectives. Question share alone is not a personal study timetable.
Source: ISTQB Exam Structures & Rules Tables v1.19, checked October 4, 2026.
Entry requirements
CTFL is required. Confirm which certificate evidence the provider accepts before purchasing or scheduling the exam.
Also known as: CT AuT, Automotive Software Tester, Certified Tester Automotive Software Tester.
Source: Official syllabus and qualification overview.
What the syllabus covers
Use these chapters to organize your reading. The practice prompts are our editorial guidance. Use the official learning objectives to check the required depth.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Automotive Software Testing
Explain the system boundary, project constraints and release responsibilities for a small vehicle function. Distinguish the tester’s evidence from a final product approval.
Chapter 2: Standards for the Testing of Electric/Electronic (E/E) Systems
Compare the roles of automotive process, safety and architectural standards in a testing approach. Do not treat their names as interchangeable test methods.
Chapter 3: Testing in a Virtual Environment
Choose a virtual environment for an explicit investigation. State which interfaces and physical effects are represented and which still require other evidence.
Chapter 4: Static Testing and Dynamic Testing
Work through a static and a dynamic investigation of the same function. Explain the different defects or uncertainties each approach can address.
Source: ISTQB CT-AuT Syllabus v2.1.1. ISTQB and the syllabus authors own the official syllabus. The study prompts above are original editorial guidance.
How to prepare
The suggestions below are our editorial advice, not ISTQB requirements.
- Draw the boundaries of the system and test environment before naming a technique.
- Compare the purpose and limits of model-, software- and hardware-based investigations.
- Distinguish a standard’s role in a process from a particular test case or result.
- Use small signal and state examples to practice reasoning about embedded behavior.
Try this study exercise
Imagine a vehicle function that changes a warning based on a sensor value. List what you could investigate using a model, software simulation and physical hardware. Identify the assumptions and interfaces at each stage. Explain which evidence can transfer between environments and which behavior still needs another level of investigation.
A study plan with milestones
Use four passes through the material rather than a guaranteed number of weeks. The pace depends on your experience and available study time. This plan is our editorial recommendation, not an official course duration.
| Pass | Focus | Evidence of progress |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Orient | Read the learning objectives and Introduction to Automotive Software Testing, Standards for the Testing of Electric/Electronic (E/E) Systems | A chapter map with terms you can explain and objectives you cannot yet demonstrate. |
| 2. Apply | Testing in a Virtual Environment, Static Testing and Dynamic Testing | An automotive test-environment decision with explicit system boundaries, represented interfaces, standard-related context and remaining evidence gaps. |
| 3. Diagnose | Take the matching official sample without looking at the answers | An error log separating missing knowledge, reasoning mistakes and rushed reading. |
| 4. Consolidate | Rework weak objectives and repeat the relevant exercises | A reasoned explanation of corrected answers, plus a confirmed exam version and booking checklist. |
For each uncertain answer, record the learning objective, why your choice seemed plausible, the official explanation and the example you will use to check your understanding again. Revisit guesses even when they happened to be correct.
Use the official sample exams
Take one sample under timed conditions before you open the answers, then review every guess as well as every wrong answer. Our sample exam guide shows how to turn a practice score into a study plan.
Before you book
Confirm the exam version, language and your eligibility with the provider before you pay. Use our booking checklist, the USA and India guides, and the exam day checklist.
Common questions
Which exam table applies to syllabus v2.1.1?
Use the CT-AuT v2.1 exam allocation, not the separate v1.0 table. The official download is syllabus v2.1.1. Keep its minor document revision distinct from the exam table’s version label.
What is the difference between model-, software- and hardware-in-the-loop?
Compare what is represented and what is real in each environment. In preparation, draw the boundaries and interfaces rather than relying on the abbreviations alone.
Does Automotive SPICE mean the same thing as ISO 26262?
No. The syllabus treats several automotive standards with different purposes. Explain each one’s role in context before using it to justify a testing activity.
Will CT-AuT authorize me to approve a vehicle’s safety?
No. A testing qualification is not a product approval or a delegation of project authority. Confirm the actual role, competence and evidence requirements within the responsible organization.
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Fees and booking
Use our exam fees overview to compare exam prices, taxes, retake charges and booking terms. Check the dated fee records in our USA guide or India guide. For other countries, use the member board directory to find the appropriate booking route. Your provider sets the final price and terms, so ask for them before you pay.
Sources and how we checked
Syllabus and exam facts checked on October 4, 2026. Scope summaries are based on the official documents linked below. Decision advice, study routines and the worked exercise are our editorial guidance. Provider availability and booking terms can change.