What is an Autotest?

The eponymous competition in this category, an Autotest is a low-speed, challenging test of precision car control against the clock. Taking place on tarmac or grass areas, often car parks or flat fields, courses are marked out by plastic cones or pylons, and are generally completed in first and reverse gears. Often, an Autotest will include skills like handbrake or J-turns.

Participants tackle a number of timed tests, which they must memorise beforehand, and have a number of attempts at each. Five second penalties are incurred for hitting cones, or for failing to stop at a line. A more severe penalty is given for taking the wrong route. The winner is the driver with the lowest accumulated time.

You can take part in an Autotest in an everyday road car, and cars can be shared, or ‘double driven’. Your closest competitor would then be the person in the same car as you.