ISTQB® CT Foundation Level - Automotive Software Tester

The certification provides an advantage for those who would like to know the required Automotive activities, roles, techniques, and methodologies specific to their role. 

The ISTQB® courses on this page are offered by Tesena s.r.o., accredited training provider. Certification tests are provided by the Czech and Slovak Testing Board, z.s.

A person with the Automotive Software Tester certificate has
extended the broad understanding of testing acquired at the Foundation Level to enable him or her to work effectively as a professional tester in an automotive project.

• Professionals who have achieved in-depth testing experience in traditional methods and would like to get an Automotive Software Tester certificate.
• Junior professional testers who are just starting in the testing profession, have received the Foundation Level certificate, and would like to know more about the tester’s role in an
• automotive projects.
• Professionals who are relatively new to testing and are required to implement test approaches, methods and techniques in their day to day job in automotive projects.
• Professionals who are experienced in their role (including unit testing) and need more understanding and knowledge about how to perform and manage testing on all levels in automotive projects. These professionals include people who are in roles such as testers, test analysts, test engineers, test consultants, test managers, user acceptance testers, and software developers.
• For anyone who wants a deeper understanding of software testing in the automotive world, such as project managers, quality managers, software development managers, business analysts, IT directors, and management consultants.

Chapter 1: Introduction

• The tester should be able to explain and give examples of the challenges of automotive product development that arise from divergent project objectives and increasing product complexity.
• The tester should be able to recall project aspects that are influenced by standards such as time, cost, quality and project/product risks.
• The tester should be able to recall the six generic phases in the system life cycle per ISO/IEC 24748-1.
• The tester should be able to recall the contribution and the collaboration of the tester in the release process.

Chapter 2: Standards for the testing of E/E systems
ASPICE

• The tester should be able to recall the two dimensions of Automotive SPICE® (ASPICE).
• The tester should be able to explain the Capability levels 0 to 3 of ASPICE.
• The tester should be able to recall the purpose of the 5 test relevant processes of ASPICE.
• The tester should be able to explain the meaning of the 4 rating levels and the capability indicators of ASPICE from the test perspective.
• The tester should be able to explain the requirements of ASPICE for the test strategy including the regression test strategy. 
• The tester should be able to recall the requirements of ASPICE for the test documentation.
• The tester should be able to design a verification strategy (in contrast to a test strategy) and criteria for unit verification.
• The tester should be able to explain the different traceability requirements of ASPICE from the test perspective.

ISO 26262

• The tester should be able to explain the objective of functional safety for E/E systems.
• The tester should be able to recall his contribution as a tester for the safety culture.
• The tester should be able to present the role of the tester in the framework of the safety life cycle per ISO 26262.
• The tester should be able to recall the volumes (part titles) of ISO 26262 that are relevant for him.
• The tester should be able to explain the influence of ASIL on applicable test design techniques and test types for static and dynamic tests and the resulting test extent.
• The tester should be able to apply the selected method table of the ISO 26262.

AUTOSAR

• The tester should be able to recall the objectives of AUTOSAR.
• The tester should be able to recall the influences of AUTOSAR on the work of the tester.

Comparison

• The tester should be able to recall the different objectives of ASPICE and ISO 26262.
• The tester should be able to explain the differences between ASPICE, ISO 26262 and CTFL® regarding the test levels.

Chapter 3: Testing in a virtual environment
Test Environment in General

• The tester should be able to recall the purpose/the motivation of a test environment in the automotive environment.
• The tester should be able to recall the general parts of an automotive specific test environment.
• The tester should be able to recall the differences between Closed-Loop systems and OpenLoop systems.
• The tester should be able to recall the essential functions, databases and protocols of an electronic control unit (ECU).

Testing in XiL environments

• The tester should be able to recall the structure of a MiL test environment.* The tester should be able to explain the application area and the boundary conditions of a MiL test environment.
• The tester should be able to reproduce the structure of an SiL test environment.
• The tester should be able to recall the structure of an HiL test environment.
• The tester should be able to explain the application areas and the boundary conditions of an HiL test environment.
• The tester should be able to summarize the advantages and disadvantages for the testing with the help of criteria of the XiL test environments (MiL, SiL and HiL).
• The tester should be able to apply criteria for the assignment of a given test scope to one or more test environments.
• The tester should be able to classify the three XiL test environments (MiL, SiL, HiL) in the Vmodel.

Chapter 4: Automotive-specific static and dynamic test techniques
Static test techniques

• The tester should be able to explain the purpose, the types and obligations of the MISRAC:2012 programming guideline with the help of examples.
• The tester should be able to apply a review of requirements with the quality characteristics of the ISO/IEC 29148 that are relevant for him. 

Dynamic test techniques

• The tester should be able to create test cases to achieve modified condition/decision testing coverage.
• The tester should be able to explain the use of back-to-back testing by giving examples.
• The tester should be able to explain the principle of fault injection tests by giving examples.
• The tester should be able to recall the principles of requirement-based testing.
• The tester should be able to apply context dependent criteria for the choice of suitable and necessary test design techniques.

The certification exam is not part of the course. It is possible to order it.

To be able to participate in a Foundation Level Specialist – the CTFL® Automotive Software Tester exam, candidates must have obtained the ISTQB® Foundation Level certificate.

• Duration: 60 min
• Minimum success rate: 65%
• 40 multi-choice questions 

Exam types

• Open exams (on-site) – Regular exam dates open for public, so anyone can apply. These exams are done in several regular locations like Prague, Brno, Bratislava, and Košice. 
• Online exams – Online exams from the comfort of your home. 
• Private exams – Private exams are provided with a minimum of 6 candidates

The materials are in electronic form.

• Collaborate effectively in a test team
• Apply the virtual test methods (e.g. HiL, SiL, MiL, etc.) in test environments
• Adapt the test techniques known from the ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level to the specific automotive project requirements
• Consider the basic requirements of the relevant automotive standards and select suitable test techniques