FSD

What FSD does

FSD Fahrzeugsystemdaten GmbH (FSD) is a German non-profit jointly owned by the ten German inspection organisations and appointed in 2012 as the Central Agency (Zentrale Stelle) under the German Road Traffic Act (StVG). Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Dresden with a test laboratory in Radeberg, FSD develops and maintains the official test specifications and supporting technologies used for periodic technical inspections (Hauptuntersuchung / PTI) of vehicles in Germany. Its core products are the VIS.App software application (formerly FSD.HU21), the PTI-Adapter (VIS.HUA) handheld testing device that communicates with vehicle electronics via the OBD/electronic vehicle interface, and the VIS.TTI interface that extends PTI-Adapter use to heavy commercial vehicle trailers. The specifications and technologies cover more than 100 million vehicles and are used daily by approximately 18,000 PTI inspectors performing 30+ million annual inspections.

The underlying technology stack combines a Specification Information System (VIS) — a software platform running on notebooks, tablets, and smartphones — with proprietary handheld hardware (4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 12V/24V compatibility) and dynamic test procedures for ADAS, environmental sensors, and automated driving functions. The company is financed and owned by the inspection organisations, with federal and state governments exercising legal supervision. FSD's business model is effectively a statutory subscription: the inspection organisations fund FSD in exchange for the exclusive right to use the centrally mandated specifications and tools, and they distribute them down to inspectors and authorised workshops. There is no external venture funding, no public pricing, and no third-party distribution. Recent strategic emphasis is on extending inspection methodologies to autonomous, connected, and electric vehicles via projects such as ABSOLUT II, SivaS, and the Charter 2030 initiative.

Name

FSD

Legal name

FSD Fahrzeugsystemdaten GmbH

Website

https://fsd-web.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FSD Fahrzeugsystemdaten GmbH is a German non-profit, jointly owned by the ten German inspection organisations, that develops the official test specifications and electronic inspection technologies (VIS.App, PTI-Adapter) used by ~18,000 inspectors for periodic vehicle inspections in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Vehicle Inspection Technology

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Vehicle Diagnostics & Fault Code Scanning Services (TLAKANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

DOT / Regulatory Compliance Inspections & Certifications (FMCSA/State) (TLAKAGAC), DOT/Annual Vehicle Safety Inspections & Roadworthiness Certification (TLAKANAJ), Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) Readiness & Drive-Cycle Verification (TLAKANAH)

Keywords

• Vehicle inspection technology
• Periodic technical inspections
• Automotive diagnostic software
• ADAS testing tools
• Government-mandated testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government-mandated testing specifications provision: As a non-profit organization jointly owned by German inspection organizations and appointed as Central Agency under StVG, FSD develops and provides test specifications for periodic vehicle inspections. Revenue is derived from the statutory mandate to serve the German inspection institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FSD develops test specifications and proprietary testing technologies (VIS.App software application and VIS.HUA PTI-Adapter) for periodic vehicle inspections in Germany. As the government-appointed Central Agency under the German Road Traffic Act (StVG), it provides the standardized inspection framework used daily by approximately 18,000 officially accredited PTI inspectors across all ten German inspection organizations. Its database covers information for more than 100 million vehicles in Germany and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIS.App: Software application for periodic technical inspections (formerly FSD.HU21)
• VIS.HUA (PTI-Adapter)
• VIS.TTI

Products and services

• VIS.App (formerly FSD.HU21) Software application that supports PTI inspectors in conducting periodic technical inspections; provides digital inspection specifications and instructions via notebooks, tablets or smartphones, and enables electronic vehicle interface testing via the PTI-Adapter. Contains inspection data for more than 100 million vehicles in Germany and Europe.
• PTI-Adapter (VIS.HUA) Universal handheld scan tool and robust testing/measuring device for periodic vehicle inspections; communicates with vehicle electronics via the electronic vehicle interface and measures driving-dynamics parameters. Features 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC storage, and operates on 12V and 24V onboard power supplies.
• VIS.TTI - Truck Trailer Interface Interface that enables the PTI-Adapter to perform inspections on heavy commercial vehicle trailers (Categories O3 and O4) which lack an OBD interface, applying familiar PTI-Adapter technology to trailer inspections.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ million vehicle inspections annually using FSD specifications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Charter 2030 Partners (German Inspection Institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Initiative launched July 2024 with all German inspection institutions to address future challenges of technical vehicle inspection for digitalized, autonomous, connected, and electric mobility. Aims to promote road safety and climate targets through innovative testing methods and modernized legal framework.
• ABSOLUT II Project PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Multi-partner project (10/2023 to 09/2026) addressing replacement of onboard safety drivers with technical supervisors in control centers for autonomous vehicles. Partners include ANavS, BitCtrl, glts cotech, IKEM, INIT, LVB, Sedenius Engineering, TU Dresden, BMW Group Plant Leipzig, and Leipziger Messe GmbH. FSD contributes evaluation metrics for automated bus shuttles and demonstrator for PTI test procedures.
• SivaS Project PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Project (04/2023 to 12/2024) developing methods for safety assessment of automated driving functions. Partners: TU Dresden, City of Hoyerswerda. FSD develops process chain methodology for in-vehicle data acquisition and prototype specifications for automated/connected driving testing.
• ErVast Project PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020BMVI-funded project (01/2020 to 12/2021) developing testing technologies using dynamic traffic elements for automated driving functions. FSD served as consortium coordinator. Partners included Auto Mobil Forschung Dresden, DEKRA, TU Dresden (two chairs), HORIBA Europe, Fraunhofer IVI, Verkehrsunfallforschung TU Dresden, and ZIGPOS GmbH.
• German Inspection Organizations (Shareholders)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSD is jointly founded and owned by all ten German inspection organizations (TÜV Rheinland, TÜV Saarland, TÜV Thüringen, TÜV Nord, DEKRA, GTÜ, KÜS, VÜK, and others). These organizations finance FSD and use its specifications for periodic vehicle inspections.
• Federal and State GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, federal and state governments have drawn on FSD's expertise as appointed Central Agency under StVG. State authorities hold legal supervision over FSD. FSD performs public tasks on behalf of government to relieve federal and state burden.
• Vehicle ManufacturersmajorOthersVehicle manufacturers (BMW, Mercedes, VW, Audi, Toyota, Ford, etc.) are required under StVZO to provide all technical information to FSD for developing test specifications. FSD maintains regular contact through Technical Advisory Board and exchange on specification application and development.
• TU DresdenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with Dresden University of Technology on research projects including ErVast, SivaS, and ABSOLUT II. Collaborates on further development of PTI testing methods and technologies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: Swiss-headquartered global Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) major with extensive automotive inspection operations including in Germany. Comparable as a broad incumbent that could conceivably compete for TIC mandates adjacent to PTI, but is not currently a Central Agency under national statute.
• DEKRA: Another FSD shareholder inspection organisation (TÜV/DEKRA/GTÜ/KÜS network) and a key partner in the ErVast research project on automated-driving testing. Operates a global TIC and vehicle-inspection network that depends on FSD-developed PTI specifications in Germany.
• Bureau Veritas: French global TIC major with vehicle inspection operations and homologation services. Like SGS, it represents the broad-incumbent model of inspection services; not a direct peer to FSD's PTI specification mandate but a potential competitor in adjacent TIC domains.
• TÜV Rheinland: One of the ten German inspection organisations that jointly own FSD and a primary end user of its PTI specifications. Comparable as a large incumbent that conducts vehicle inspections under FSD's specifications; broader portfolio spans TIC services beyond automotive, making it a customer/adopter rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Applus+ IDIADA: Spain-based vehicle design, testing, and homologation services firm operating test labs across Europe. Comparable because it provides ADAS and automated-driving test infrastructure adjacent to FSD's mandate, but operates principally outside the German PTI statutory framework.
• UTAC CERAM: French vehicle testing and certification group with major proving grounds and homologation labs across Europe. Closest functional analogue to FSD in another EU market, though it operates under different (French) national regulations and competes for ADAS / autonomous-vehicle testing mandates.

Emerging players

• AB Dynamics: UK-based supplier of robotic platforms and ADAS test equipment used for Euro NCAP and ADAS validation. Comparable because its products enable the next-generation ADAS/AV test procedures FSD is developing; an emerging specialist rather than a direct competitor to FSD's specification authority.

Others

• AVL List GmbH: Austrian-headquartered independent automotive development and test-systems provider offering powertrain, ADAS, and vehicle-dynamics test solutions. Comparable as an adjacent supplier of test infrastructure to OEMs and regulators; thematic peer for the technical infrastructure layer beneath PTI.
• TRL (Transport Research Laboratory): UK government-owned transport research organisation that conducts vehicle safety research, including AV/ADAS testing and contributes to UK and international standards. Comparable as a state-affiliated research entity that informs vehicle testing standards; adjacent to FSD's mandate rather than directly competitive.
• HORIBA: Japanese-headquartered automotive test and measurement equipment supplier that partnered with FSD in the ErVast project on dynamic traffic elements for automated-driving test. Comparable as a provider of underlying sensor/measurement hardware that complements FSD's specification-setting role, rather than competing directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fsd-fahrzeugsystemdaten-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about FSD