Self Driving Challenge - Edition 2026

With the Self Driving Challenge (SDC), the RDW is offering young talent the opportunity to further develop their skills in the field of smart mobility. This is a unique project in which student teams compete with each other by driving their autonomous vehicle trough a set of challenges on a track that represent real-world driving scenario's.

The Self Driving Challenge is an ongoing yearly event since 2019, with the goal of gaining knowledge about complex in-car decisionmaking technology. Each year a goal for the challenge is set and competing student teams are tasked to develop software for their vehicle to best achieve this goal. Previous challenges included driving in a simulation environment and driving on a real race track.

The challenge will be set-out on the RDW Test Centre in Lelystad (TCL). Starting in February 2026, teams have the opportunity to analyse, record and test their project every week. In June 2026, an exciting final event will be organised where all teams will demonstrate their abilities in front of a public audience and the winner of the Self Driving Challenge 2026 will be decided upon. Teams will be able to participate in either a 'closed category' or an 'open category'.

The RDW will provide the kick-off, webinars, technical information, testing-days and the final race event. The educational institutions are responsible for the necessary resources, supervision and guidance for their participating teams.

Teams participating in the closed category will be provided with a vehicle platform by the RDW. The teams will be loaned an Intel NUC (mini-computer), which they should bring and mount on RDW's electric karts to control and drive them. Teams are not allowed to modify the hardware platform in the closed category.

Advantages: 

• The vehicle, hardware and safety equipment such as helmets and emergency stop buttons are provided by RDW
• Accessible development platform
• Low barrier for entering the challenge

Limits

• Limited computing-power (no GPU)
• No hardware modifications allowed
• Test-time with vehicles is shared amongst teams
• No hands-on time with the vehicle outside of testing days

Teams in the Open Category participate by bringing their own hardware and software to the challenge. This category is open for application through the University of the North, a collaboration between universities and vocational schools in the northern Netherlands.

Participants benefit from the support of sponsors like robotTUNER, who provide expertise and a base vehicle (a Renault Twizy) to help teams get started.