Metrosert launches Europe’s first mobile lab for testing self-driving vehicles
Estonia’s national metrology and applied research centre, Metrosert, is taking autonomous vehicle testing to a new level. On 11 November, the company will unveil Europe’s first mobile test laboratory, designed to travel wherever development teams are working or where vehicles are actually deployed. The portable facility makes testing more affordable, opening the door for smaller developers to compete in a field traditionally dominated by large corporations.
Metrosert’s autonomous vehicle lead, Taaniel Tigas, said the aim was to bring testing opportunities within reach of small and medium-sized enterprises. “In classic, stationary labs, this kind of testing has mostly been the privilege of big players,” he noted. The new mobile lab supports the export ambitions of Estonian tech firms while promoting safer traffic culture.
Testing where the roads really are
Unlike fixed facilities, Metrosert’s laboratory is not tied to a single test track. Trials can take place in real environments — on public roads, at development sites, or during product testing. This flexibility makes the process faster and significantly cheaper than conventional approaches.
Interest has already come from abroad. Several vehicle and component manufacturers have reached out, drawn by Estonia’s flexible regulations, low bureaucracy, and highly varied testing conditions. Four distinct seasons, multiple road surfaces, and rapidly changing weather create an ideal proving ground for vehicles destined for Northern Europe.
900,000-euro investment, new quality benchmark
The mobile lab represents an initial investment of around €900,000 (£760,000). It can simulate and repeat traffic situations with precision — a pedestrian stepping into the road, a sudden stop by another car, or an animal crossing the lane.
The system uses robotic carriers made by Austria’s 4activeSystems, which move at speeds of up to 100 km/h on perfectly even surfaces. These can carry mannequins mimicking everything from children and cyclists to scooters, wildlife, motorcyclists, and even full-sized vehicles.
Every scenario can be repeated under identical conditions until a car meets the required safety standard. The measurements feed directly into Estonia’s Transport Administration, which decides whether a vehicle qualifies for public road use.
Estonia’s autonomous ambitions
Metrosert’s mobile lab positions Estonia as a Northern European hub for autonomous vehicle testing and safety standards. Until now, the field was dominated by closed test centres run by major manufacturers in Germany and Sweden. Metrosert’s approach makes advanced testing accessible to smaller innovators — a move perfectly in tune with Estonia’s agile, collaborative tech culture.
Estonia may not build the biggest cars, but it might just build the place where those cars learn to think.
