New champions crowned at the Self Driving Challenge 2026 Final

This year, we welcomed two new champions. In the Closed Category, the trophy was claimed by Hogeschool Rotterdam, while Universiteit van het Noorden secured victory in the Open Category. Congratulations to both teams on this outstanding achievement.

"Every year, the bar gets higher," says Johan in 't Holt, manager ICT at RDW. "The participation of an international team demonstrates how far the challenge has come and how seriously it is being taken. What impressed me most this year was the level of the competition. Seeing two new teams take the title shows how much the participants continue to grow and innovate."

The arrival of two new winning teams highlights the increasing competitiveness of the challenge and the continuous improvement shown by participants year after year.

The final results were:

Open category:

1. Universiteit van het Noorden
2. Fontys
3. Firda

Closed Category

1. Hogeschool Rotterdam 
2. Hanze Groningen
3. Haagse Hogeschool

For the teams, the final race is the culmination of four months of dedication. During that time, students design, build, test, and refine autonomous systems capable of navigating realistic traffic situations.

On the day itself, they have only around fifteen minutes to demonstrate the results of all that hard work. While that may seem short, those minutes represent countless hours of problem-solving, collaboration, and perseverance.

Not every run went exactly as planned, and it is understandable that some teams felt disappointed with their final performance. However, the final race is only a small part of the journey. Every team should be proud of what they achieved over the past four months. Developing and improving an autonomous vehicle is a remarkable accomplishment, regardless of the final ranking.

One of the most memorable moments of the day came from Team Firda in the Open Category.

Shortly before their run, it appeared that they might not even be able to start due to issues with their vehicle's motor. Tension rose as the team worked to solve the problem, but in what felt like a little bit of magic, the motor suddenly came back to life. Thanks to this magic, the team was able to take part in the competition after all and even became third.

Moments like these perfectly capture the spirit of the Self Driving Challenge: overcoming setbacks, staying determined, and never giving up.

The final was about more than the competition itself. Visitors could enjoy a wide range of activities throughout the day, including a rollover simulator, a pit stop challenge, and several demonstrations showcasing the latest developments in mobility and technology.

Combined with the sunny weather and the enthusiastic atmosphere, these activities helped make the event a great experience for participants, partners, and visitors alike.

The Self Driving Challenge continues to bring together students, technology, and innovation, demonstrating how autonomous driving, AI, robotics, and software engineering come together in practice.

We would like to thank all participating teams, visitors, volunteers, partners, and organizers for making this edition a great success. Whether your vehicle crossed the finish line flawlessly or encountered unexpected challenges, every team contributed to another inspiring chapter in the history of the Self Driving Challenge.

Want to relive the highlights of the day? Be sure to watch the official aftermovie, which captures the excitement, teamwork, challenges, and successes of the Self Driving Challenge 2026 Final.