Getting started with automotive test automation

Dervo Global team · 24 September 2026 · 1 min read

A practical path from manual checks to automated regression testing.

A practical path from manual checks to automated regression testing.

Good practice

Start from the requirements: turn each testable requirement into a test case with a clear pass or fail result.
Automate the tests you repeat most first, such as smoke tests, signal checks and diagnostic basics.
Build a small reusable library (send a message, read a signal, request a diagnostic service) before writing many tests.
Keep tests independent, and reset the ECU to a known state before each test.
Run the suite automatically on every software change and publish the results where the team can see them.
Track unstable tests and fix them quickly, because a suite people do not trust stops being used.

Need help putting this into practice? Talk to us about your project.

Dervo Global supports automotive programs with testing and engineering, and growing businesses with simple CRM and HR & Payroll tools.

Modified condition/decision coverage in plain words, with a worked example, the N+1 rule and what to do when a condition cannot be covered.

A practical checklist for planning a hardware-in-the-loop bench, from scope and signals to models, automation and maintenance.

How to use simulation and real hardware together without doing the same work twice.

How a CAN bit is built from time quanta, why every node needs the same sample point, and how to pick settings that work with your clock.