100+ Free ISTQB CT-AuT Practice Questions

Pass your ISTQB Certified Tester — Automotive Software Tester (CT-AuT) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

~65-75% Pass Rate

100+ Questions

100% Free

1 / 100

Question 1

Score: 0/0

Which ASPICE plug-in addresses machine-learning engineering activities as SUP.11 plus engineering enhancements?

ASPICE for Machine Learning (yellow VDA, 2023)

ASPICE for Hardware

ASPICE for Mechanical

ASPICE for Cybersecurity

to track

Same family resources

Explore More ISTQB Certifications

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

More From This Family

Videos and articles for deeper review.

ArticleFREE ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) Exam Guide 2026: Pass on First Try (Syllabus v4.0, 65%, 40 Questions, Free Sample Exams)27 min read

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ISTQB CT-AuT Exam

Exam Questions

ISTQB

26/40

Passing Score

65%

60 min

Exam Duration

75 min non-native

$200-$249

Exam Fee

ISTQB Specialist

Lifetime

Cert Valid

No renewal

CTFL

Prerequisite

Foundation Level required

The ISTQB CT-AuT exam has 40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes (75 min for non-native English speakers) with a 65% passing score (26/40). Major topics: ISO 26262 functional safety, Automotive SPICE, the V-Model, MIL/SIL/PIL/HIL environments, automotive bus systems and UDS diagnostics, AUTOSAR, MISRA, structural coverage, ISO 21434 cybersecurity, and ISO 21448 SOTIF. Exam fee is $200-$249 USD. Requires CTFL Foundation. Certification is valid for life.

Sample ISTQB CT-AuT Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ISTQB CT-AuT exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which international standard defines functional safety for road-vehicle electrical and electronic systems?

A.ISO 9001

B.ISO 26262

C.IEC 61508

D.ISO 21434

Explanation: ISO 26262 is the road-vehicle adaptation of IEC 61508 and defines functional safety for E/E systems in production passenger cars and (since 2018) trucks, buses, motorcycles, and trailers. IEC 61508 is the generic parent standard. ISO 21434 covers automotive cybersecurity, and ISO 9001 is a generic quality management standard.

2How many Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL) are defined by ISO 26262, excluding QM?

A.Three (A, B, C)

B.Four (A, B, C, D)

C.Five (A, B, C, D, E)

D.Two (Low, High)

Explanation: ISO 26262 defines four ASIL levels: ASIL A (lowest integrity requirement) through ASIL D (highest). Items below the safety relevance threshold are classified as QM (Quality Management) and are governed by standard quality processes rather than ISO 26262 requirements.

3Which three parameters are combined in a Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA) to determine the ASIL?

A.Severity, Exposure, Controllability

B.Probability, Detectability, Severity

C.Frequency, Cost, Schedule

D.Severity, Occurrence, Detection

Explanation: ISO 26262 derives the ASIL from Severity (S0-S3), Exposure (E0-E4 — how often the operational situation occurs), and Controllability (C0-C3 — the ability of an average driver to avoid harm). Severity-Occurrence-Detection are FMEA parameters, not HARA parameters.

4A hazard rated S3, E4, C3 in HARA is classified as which ASIL?

A.ASIL A

B.ASIL B

C.ASIL C

D.ASIL D

Explanation: The combination S3 (life-threatening injury), E4 (high exposure — common driving situation), C3 (difficult or uncontrollable) yields ASIL D, the most stringent integrity level. ISO 26262 Part 3 publishes the lookup table mapping every S/E/C combination to A, B, C, D, or QM.

5Which process reference model is the automotive industry's variant for software process assessment, derived from ISO/IEC 33020?

A.CMMI-DEV

B.Automotive SPICE

C.ITIL

D.TMMi

Explanation: Automotive SPICE (ASPICE) is the automotive industry's process assessment model based on ISO/IEC 330xx (formerly ISO/IEC 15504). It is maintained by the VDA (German automotive association) and used by OEMs to assess supplier process capability. CMMI is generic, ITIL targets IT service management, and TMMi addresses test process maturity.

6Which Automotive SPICE capability level is most commonly required by OEMs from suppliers of safety-critical components?

A.Level 1 (Performed)

B.Level 2 (Managed)

C.Level 3 (Established)

D.Level 5 (Innovating)

Explanation: Level 2 (Managed) is the most common contractual baseline OEMs impose on Tier-1 suppliers for safety-relevant subsystems, and some safety-critical projects require Level 3 (Established). Level 1 only shows the process is performed; Levels 4-5 (Predictable, Innovating) are rarely required because they demand statistical process control.

7In Automotive SPICE, which process area covers Software Unit Verification?

A.SWE.1

B.SWE.3

C.SWE.4

D.SWE.6

Explanation: SWE.4 is Software Unit Verification in Automotive SPICE — covering review of detailed design and verification of software units. SWE.1 is Software Requirements Analysis, SWE.3 is Software Detailed Design and Unit Construction, and SWE.6 is Software Qualification Test.

8Which side of the automotive V-Model contains software qualification testing (SWE.6)?

A.Left side, during requirements analysis

B.Left side, during architecture design

C.Right side, verifying against software requirements

D.Right side, verifying against system architecture

Explanation: The V-Model's right side contains verification activities that mirror the left side. SWE.6 Software Qualification Test verifies the integrated software against the software requirements (SWE.1) — they sit at the same vertical level on opposite sides of the V. System integration test mirrors system architecture, and so on.

9For ASIL D code, ISO 26262 Part 6 highly recommends which structural coverage metric?

A.Statement coverage only

B.Branch coverage only

C.Modified Condition/Decision Coverage (MC/DC)

D.Path coverage

Explanation: ISO 26262 Part 6 Table 12 highly recommends (++) Modified Condition/Decision Coverage (MC/DC) for ASIL D software. Statement coverage is recommended for ASIL A, branch (decision) coverage is highly recommended from ASIL B upward, and MC/DC is highly recommended at ASIL D. Path coverage is generally infeasible for non-trivial code.

10Which coding guideline set is most widely used for C and C++ in automotive software?

A.CERT C

B.MISRA C/C++

C.JSF AV C++

D.Google C++ Style Guide

Explanation: MISRA C (currently MISRA C:2012 with amendments) and MISRA C++ are the dominant coding guideline sets in automotive. They restrict language features that are error-prone or undefined to improve safety and analyzability. CERT C targets security, JSF AV C++ originated in aerospace, and the Google guide is a general style guide.

About the ISTQB CT-AuT Exam

The ISTQB Certified Tester Automotive Software Tester (CT-AuT) is an ISTQB Specialist certification in the Particular Domains track that validates skills to test automotive software in compliance with ISO 26262 functional safety, Automotive SPICE process model, and the automotive V-Model. The syllabus covers HARA and ASIL determination, the safety case, ASPICE process areas (SYS.1-5, SWE.1-6, SUP.x), MIL/SIL/PIL/HIL test environments, bus systems (CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, FlexRay, automotive Ethernet), UDS diagnostics, AUTOSAR Classic and Adaptive platforms, MISRA coding guidelines, MC/DC structural coverage, ISO 21434 cybersecurity, and ISO 21448 SOTIF scenario-based testing. Requires the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) as a prerequisite.

Questions

40 scored questions

Time Limit

60 minutes

Passing Score

65% (26/40)

Exam Fee

$200-$249 USD (ISTQB / Pearson VUE)

ISTQB CT-AuT Exam Content Outline

10%

Introduction to Automotive Software Development

Automotive software lifecycle, OEM/supplier (Tier-1/Tier-2) collaboration, Development Interface Agreement (DIA), automotive V-Model, and stakeholder roles

20%

ISO 26262 Functional Safety

Item definition, HARA (Severity/Exposure/Controllability), ASIL A-D determination, safety goals, Functional Safety Concept (FSC), Technical Safety Concept (TSC), ASIL decomposition, Freedom From Interference (FFI), safety case, SEooC, confirmation measures, FTTI/FDTI/FRTI, SPFM/LFM/PMHF

15%

Automotive SPICE

Process areas SYS.1-5, SWE.1-6, SUP.1/8/9/10, capability levels 1-3, traceability, work products, ASPICE for Cybersecurity and Machine Learning plug-ins

15%

Testing in the V-Model

Software unit verification (SWE.4), software integration (SWE.5), software qualification (SWE.6), system integration (SYS.4), system qualification (SYS.5), test-design techniques (BVA, EP, decision table, state transition, pairwise)

15%

Test Environments (MIL/SIL/PIL/HIL)

Model-In-the-Loop (Simulink), Software-In-the-Loop, Processor-In-the-Loop, Hardware-In-the-Loop (dSPACE, ETAS, NI), restbus simulation, fault-insertion units, back-to-back testing, proving-ground and in-vehicle testing

10%

Bus Systems and Diagnostics

Classical CAN (ISO 11898), CAN FD, LIN, FlexRay, MOST, automotive Ethernet (100BASE-T1/1000BASE-T1/Multi-Gig-T1), DoIP (ISO 13400), UDS (ISO 14229), OBD-II (ISO 15031-6), J1939, XCP/CCP, dbc/a2l/odx file formats

AUTOSAR and Coding Guidelines

AUTOSAR Classic vs Adaptive Platform, RTE, BSW, MCAL, OS timing protection, MPU configuration, SOME/IP, MISRA C:2012 categories, structural coverage (statement, branch, MC/DC), HIS metrics including cyclomatic complexity

Cybersecurity and SOTIF

ISO 21434 TARA, fuzz testing, penetration testing, secure boot, UNECE R155 CSMS and R156 SUMS, ISO 21448 SOTIF scenario regions, ADAS validation, SAE J3016 driving-automation levels, Euro NCAP active-safety protocols

How to Pass the ISTQB CT-AuT Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 65% (26/40)
Exam length: 40 questions
Time limit: 60 minutes
Exam fee: $200-$249 USD

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ISTQB CT-AuT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize ASIL determination from Severity (S0-S3), Exposure (E0-E4), and Controllability (C0-C3); know that S3/E4/C3 yields ASIL D

2Master ISO 26262 Part 6 Table 12 — which structural coverage criterion is recommended at which ASIL

3Know the four MIL/SIL/PIL/HIL loop variants and what each covers in the V-Model

4Memorize ASPICE process areas: SYS.1-5, SWE.1-6, SUP.1, SUP.8 (CM), SUP.9 (Problem), SUP.10 (Change)

5Understand the difference between ISO 26262 (E/E malfunctions), ISO 21434 (cybersecurity), and ISO 21448 (SOTIF performance limitations)

6Be comfortable with bus systems: Classical CAN (8 bytes), CAN FD (64 bytes), FlexRay (time-triggered), and automotive Ethernet 100BASE-T1 (single pair)

7Know UDS service identifiers (0x10, 0x11, 0x22, 0x27, 0x31) and the ISO standards (UDS=ISO 14229, DoIP=ISO 13400, OBD-II=ISO 15031-6)

8Understand AUTOSAR Classic (OSEK-based, embedded) vs Adaptive (POSIX, automated driving) and the role of the RTE

9Know Tool Confidence Level (TCL) derivation from Tool Impact (TI) and Tool error Detection (TD) in ISO 26262 Part 8

10Complete all 100 practice questions and review every wrong-answer explanation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ISTQB CT-AuT exam?

The ISTQB Certified Tester Automotive Software Tester (CT-AuT) is a Specialist-level ISTQB certification in the Particular Domains track. It covers how to test automotive software under ISO 26262 functional safety, the Automotive SPICE process model, the automotive V-Model, MIL/SIL/PIL/HIL environments, automotive bus systems and UDS diagnostics, AUTOSAR Classic and Adaptive, MISRA coding guidelines, ISO 21434 cybersecurity, and ISO 21448 SOTIF. The Foundation Level (CTFL) is a prerequisite.

How many questions are on the CT-AuT exam and what is the passing score?

The CT-AuT exam has 40 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 60 minutes (75 minutes for non-native English speakers). The passing score is 65%, which equals 26 of 40 correct answers. Some scoring models weight harder K3/K4 questions slightly higher, but 65% remains the threshold.

What does CT-AuT cost in 2026?

ISTQB Specialist exams including CT-AuT typically cost between $200 and $249 USD in the United States via ASTQB and iSQI. Pricing varies by national board and whether you book the exam alone or bundle with accredited training. Exact pricing is published on the istqb.org and astqb.org certification pages.

Do I need CTFL before taking CT-AuT?

Yes — the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) is a formal prerequisite for the CT-AuT Specialist exam. ASTQB and other national boards verify your CTFL credential before allowing you to register. There are no other formal experience requirements, but practical exposure to automotive software projects, ISO 26262, and HIL benches helps significantly.

What ASIL coverage requirements should I memorize for the exam?

Per ISO 26262 Part 6 Table 12: statement coverage is recommended for ASIL A; branch (decision) coverage is highly recommended from ASIL B; MC/DC is highly recommended for ASIL D. PMHF targets are typically less than 100 FIT for ASIL C and less than 10 FIT for ASIL D. Independence rises with ASIL: I1 (different person) for ASIL B, I2 (different team) for ASIL C, I3 (different organizational unit) for ASIL D.

What is the difference between ISO 26262 and ISO 21448 SOTIF?

ISO 26262 addresses safety risks caused by E/E malfunctions (short circuits, flash corruption, software defects). ISO 21448 (SOTIF) addresses safety risks caused by performance limitations or insufficient situational awareness of the intended function — even when no component has failed. Example: an AEB system failing to detect a partially occluded pedestrian at night despite all hardware functioning is a SOTIF issue, not an ISO 26262 issue. The two analyses are complementary.

How long should I study for CT-AuT?

Plan 40-60 hours over 5-8 weeks if you are an experienced tester new to automotive, or 25-40 hours if you already work on ECU projects with ISO 26262 or ASPICE. The ISTQB recommends accredited training (about 25 instructional hours). Read the CT-AuT syllabus, complete 100+ practice questions, and aim for 80%+ before booking.

100+ Free ISTQB CT-AuT Practice Questions

Explore More ISTQB Certifications

ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL)

ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester (CTAL-ATT)

ISTQB Advanced Level Technical Test Analyst (CTAL-TTA)

ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA)

ISTQB Advanced Level Test Automation Engineering (CTAL-TAE)

ISTQB Advanced Level Test Management (CTAL-TM)