Navigation driving in the CSDD test: how to prepare
Since June 2025, the CSDD Category B practical test includes a new required element: driving using a navigation system. It is part of the independent stretch that has always been in the exam — now the route is set by the sat-nav, not only a verbal instruction from the examiner. For the full picture of how the test is structured and where people most often go wrong, see the post on how to prepare for the CSDD driving test.
What changed in June 2025
Previously, the independent stretch meant: the examiner names a destination, you drive there on your own. Now the destination is entered into a navigation system, and you follow its prompts. No instructions from the instructor or examiner during that stretch. The change matters: you need to be able to use navigation while driving, without losing control of the road.
What the task looks like
The examiner enters a destination into the sat-nav. From that point you drive on your own: follow the navigation prompts, choose your speed and lanes, decide when to change lanes. The stretch lasts at least five minutes. Not a word from the examiner.
The task is to show that you can watch the road and use navigation as a supporting tool at the same time — not as your main focus.
Common mistakes
- Eyes fixed on the screen: the road disappears from view.
- Sharp reaction to a late prompt: a last-second lane change without checking mirrors.
- Losing pace for no visible reason — the driver is waiting for the next command instead of driving.
- Ignoring road signs because "the nav is guiding me".
The screen is not the centre of your attention
The navigation system is a hint, not the route itself. Traffic rules, road signs, and what is actually happening on the road always take priority. If the nav suggests a turn but a sign forbids it — follow the sign.
The right rhythm: one glance at the screen, read the instruction, eyes back on the road. Nothing more.
How to prepare in lessons
I switch the navigation on from the first few weeks of lessons — not because we need it for the route, but to get used to hearing the prompts without being drawn to the screen. The goal is that by exam day the sat-nav feels like background noise, not something that needs to be watched.
We also work through situations where a prompt arrives late.
What to do when the navigation prompts late
Calmly pass the junction and carry on — the navigation will recalculate. That is the right call. A sharp manoeuvre to avoid missing the turn is a typical mistake that costs more than the missed exit.
The examiner is assessing safety, not how closely you followed the planned route.
Safe lane changes
When the navigation gives advance warning of a turn, that is not a signal to change lanes immediately. The sequence is the same as always: mirrors — signal — space — manoeuvre. The navigation gives you time; there is no need to rush.
Exercise: five minutes without prompts
During a lesson I ask the student to drive for five minutes without a single word from me — only the navigation. Afterwards we debrief: where did discomfort appear, where did the eyes drift to the screen, where was there uncertainty about lane choice. This reproduces the exam stretch exactly.
Most people who do this exercise a few times say the same thing: by the time the exam arrives, it no longer feels daunting.
Driving independently with navigation is not an extra layer of stress. It is a check of the same skill the rest of the test checks: can you drive without relying on someone else's instructions? The nav is simply one more tool that is now on your side.