New: the SmartTheory AI Coach for Your Dutch CBR Theory Test

Why is this the right answer? What should I practise next? Am I allowed to overtake here? Those are exactly the questions you have while studying for the Dutch theory test — and a standard practice question can't answer them. That's why SmartTheory now has an AI Coach: a personal study assistant that explains your mistakes, answers your questions about Dutch traffic rules and helps you decide what to practise next.

What Is the AI Coach?

The AI Coach is a chat assistant inside the SmartTheory app, built specifically for the Dutch CBR theory test for a category B (car) licence. You can ask it a question at any moment while you practise. Unlike a general-purpose chatbot, the AI Coach looks at your own practice data and at SmartTheory's study materials, so the answers are about your situation, not about an average learner.

The AI Coach adds to SmartTheory's existing adaptive practice, which automatically picks questions that match your level (read more in how AI helps you pass your theory faster — in Dutch). What's new is that you can now ask questions and get explanations.

What Can the AI Coach Do for You?

1. Explanations of your mistakes

A normal practice question shows the correct answer and a short explanation. But often you want to know why your answer was wrong. After you answer a practice question, the button Ask the AI coach why appears. The AI Coach then receives the question, the answer options, the correct answer, the official explanation and the answer you gave. Based on that, it explains:

• why the correct answer is right, including the traffic rule behind it;
• where your reasoning most likely went wrong;
• a memory tip so you remember the rule next time.

Have a follow-up question? Just ask it in the same conversation.

2. Answers to your traffic-rule questions

Not sure about priority rules, a road sign or the speed limit on an expressway? Ask in plain words. The AI Coach first searches SmartTheory's study materials and bases its answer on them, naming the chapter it used. If a topic isn't covered, it says so honestly and refers you to official sources such as cbr.nl and the Dutch traffic regulations (RVV 1990).

3. A personal study coach

Ask, for example, "Which topics should I focus on?" or "Am I ready for the exam?". The AI Coach then looks at your own data:

• your score per topic, with your weakest topics first;
• topics you haven't practised at all yet;
• the questions you get wrong most often;
• your recent mock exams, including your mistakes per topic.

You then get concrete advice and buttons that open the right exercise directly — practising your mistakes, a specific topic or a full mock exam. SmartTheory's mock exams follow the CBR exam format in force since 7 April 2025: 50 scored questions plus 2 test questions, 44 correct to pass, in 30 minutes.

How to Use the AI Coach

1. Log in to SmartTheory (or create a free account).
2. Click the blue AI Coach button at the bottom right. You'll find it on your dashboard, while practising and next to the study materials.
3. Pick one of the suggested questions or type your own.
4. The answer appears right away, word by word. If you see a button, it takes you straight to the right exercise.
5. Use 👍 or 👎 to tell us whether the answer helped. That's how we keep improving the AI Coach.

While practising, the Ask the AI coach why button appears after every question. Use the arrow at the top of the chat window to start a new conversation.

An Example

This example shows how an answer is structured. Real answers are tailored to your question and your progress.

How Reliable Are the Answers?

We built the AI Coach to guess as little as possible:

• Based on real data: explanations use the official explanation and correct answer from our question bank, and study advice uses your real scores.
• Study materials first: for traffic-rule questions, the AI Coach searches our study materials first and names its source.
• Honest about uncertainty: if something isn't in the study materials, the AI Coach says so and refers you to official sources.
• Focused on the theory test: the AI Coach helps with traffic rules, road safety, exam preparation and the app. It doesn't answer questions on other topics.

Fair Practice: No Help During a Mock Exam

A mock exam is only useful if it feels real. That's why:

• the AI Coach is paused while you take a mock exam and doesn't appear on the exam screen;
• the AI Coach never reveals the answer to a question you haven't answered yet — it only explains the general rule;
• the AI Coach doesn't produce lists of exam questions with answers.

After your mock exam, you can ask the AI Coach which topics you made the most mistakes in and how to improve them. For practice questions, Ask the AI coach why explains each question individually.

Privacy: What Happens to Your Conversations?

• Personal data is filtered out: email addresses, phone numbers and IBANs in your message are removed before it's stored or sent to the AI language model.
• You stay in control: your conversations are included in your data export and are deleted when you delete your account.
• No name or email address goes to the AI: the AI Coach only receives the data needed for your question, such as your practice scores.

Tip: don't share personal details in the chat — it doesn't need them. Read more in our privacy policy.

Free and Premium: How Many Questions per Day?

A message only counts once you've actually received an answer. The chat window shows how many messages you have left today. See the options on the subscription page.

Tips to Get the Most Out of It

• Be specific: "May I overtake on the right on a motorway in a traffic jam?" works better than "overtaking?".
• Ask follow-up questions: not quite clear? Ask for an example or a simpler explanation.
• Ask for a memory tip: handy for road signs and speed limits.
• Use the buttons: the suggested exercises match your weak spots.
• Combine with mock exams: take a mock exam, then ask the AI Coach which topics to review. Also read why candidates fail the CBR theory exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SmartTheory's AI Coach?

The AI Coach is a chat assistant in the SmartTheory app for the Dutch CBR theory test for a car (category B) licence. It explains why an answer is right or wrong, answers questions about Dutch traffic rules based on SmartTheory's study materials and gives study advice based on your own progress.

Is the AI Coach free?

Yes, you can use the AI Coach for free. A free account includes 10 chat messages per day and 5 explanations of practice questions per day. With Premium you can ask up to 200 questions per day combined (fair use).

Can I use the AI Coach during a mock exam?

No. The AI Coach is paused while you take a mock exam, and it never reveals the answer to a question you haven't answered yet. After the mock exam you can ask it which topics you made the most mistakes in.

Which languages does the AI Coach answer in?

The AI Coach replies in the language you selected in the app. Official Dutch terms are kept, with a translation, because you'll see them in the exam too.

How reliable are the AI Coach's answers?

The AI Coach uses the official explanations from our question bank, SmartTheory's study materials and your real scores, and names its source. If something isn't in the study materials, it says so. AI can make mistakes, so check official rules on cbr.nl if you're unsure.

What happens to my conversations with the AI Coach?

Email addresses, phone numbers and IBANs are removed from your messages before they're stored or sent to the AI language model. Your conversations are included in your data export and are deleted when you delete your account.

Where do I find the AI Coach in the app?

Log in and click the blue AI Coach button at the bottom right, for example on your dashboard or while practising. After answering a practice question you can also click Ask the AI coach why.