Lab Notes — Vol. 03 · 2026

Slow writing from a two-person studio.

Essays on study habits, interface restraint, the Swedish driving test, and what it costs to ship one app a year. No newsletters about productivity. No SEO listicles. Published when there's something worth saying — roughly once a month.

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Featured · 18 min B
Theory test 14 May 2026 By S. Lindqvist

The complete guide to passing the Swedish theory test on the first try.

Trafikverket's pass rate sits at 47%. That number includes nervous over-preparers and people who walked in cold. Here's how to land on the right side of it — what's actually on the test, how the questions are scored, and the eight chapters most people underestimate.

Read the guide

Earlier notes, by date.

Driving licenceMay 21, 2026

Getting a driving licence in Sweden

A practical category B guide for newcomers: learner's permit, eye test, risk courses, theory test, driving test, language support, timing and costs.

8 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

How long does it take to get a driving licence in Sweden?

A realistic planning guide to the Swedish category B timeline: permits, theory, driving practice, risk courses, test dates and the delays learners usually miss.

7 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

Driving licence cost in Sweden

A practical breakdown of where the money goes: official fees, eye test, risk courses, driving lessons, retakes and planning buffers.

8 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

Risk 1 and Risk 2 in Sweden

A practical guide to Sweden's compulsory risk training: what each part covers, when to book it, how long it is valid and common timing mistakes.

7 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

Swedish theory test for category B

How the Trafikverket knowledge test works: question count, pass score, validity, language support and a smarter way to prepare.

7 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

Swedish driving test for category B

What happens during körprov: safety check, manoeuvres, real traffic driving, Swedish instructions, automatic gearbox rules and common mistakes.

7 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

Learner's permit and eye test in Sweden

The first step before practice: körkortstillstånd, health declaration, eye test certificate, private practice and approved supervisor requirements.

6 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 21, 2026

Private driving practice in Sweden

How private practice works: approved handledare, introduction course, approval certificate, ÖVNINGSKÖR sign and safe practice planning.

6 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Foreign driving licence in Sweden

Can you drive or exchange it? A practical guide to EEA licences, non-EEA licences, the one-year rule, translation needs and timing.

6 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Automatic or manual driving test in Sweden

What code 78 means, when automatic helps, when manual gives more flexibility and how to choose before booking the driving test.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Booking theory and driving tests in Sweden

How to plan Trafikverket dates around risk training, photo, ID, the theory result's 4-month validity window and readiness for körprov.

6 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Failed the theory or driving test in Sweden?

A calm recovery plan: read the result, find the weak area, rebook wisely and protect the 4-month theory validity window.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Common mistakes on the Swedish theory test

Why learners fail kunskapsprov: memorising questions, weak risk thinking, language traps, rushing and missing real traffic logic.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Common mistakes on the Swedish driving test

What often goes wrong on körprov: observation, speed adaptation, late planning, unsafe gaps, passive driving and vulnerable road users.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Winter driving in Sweden

What learners should practise before snow, ice and darkness: winter tyres, visibility, longer safety margins, low speed and calm decisions.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Driving school or private practice in Sweden

How to combine professional lessons with private practice so you get structure, repetition, feedback and fewer bad habits.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Eco-driving in Sweden

Smooth, safe and fuel-efficient driving: planning ahead, steady speed, fewer hard stops and better safety margins.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Priority rules in Sweden

A practical guide to give way, stop, the right-hand rule, signs, signals and why learners hesitate at junctions.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Pedestrians and cyclists in Sweden

What learners must watch for around vulnerable road users in cities, crossings, residential areas, darkness and parked traffic.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Test day documents, photo and ID in Sweden

What to bring, when to take the Trafikverket photo and how to avoid stress at check-in.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Traffic signs and road markings in Sweden

How signs, road markings and signals work together when answers are not obvious.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Speed limits and speed adaptation in Sweden

Why the posted limit is only the maximum and how to choose a safe speed for the situation.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Safety distance and braking distance in Sweden

Reaction time, stopping distance, road grip and why distance is active safety.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Roundabouts and junctions in Sweden

Observation, signalling, lane choice and calm priority decisions at junctions.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Motorway driving in Sweden

Joining, lane discipline, following distance, exits and speed adaptation on faster roads.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Rural roads and wildlife in Sweden

Narrow roads, hidden bends, tractors, darkness and animal-warning situations.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Parking and reversing in Sweden

Low-speed control, observation, margins, reversing into spaces and safe corrections.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Vehicle safety check before driving in Sweden

Tyres, lights, mirrors, warning lamps, seating position and daily safety habits.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Alcohol, drugs and fatigue in Swedish traffic

Risk awareness, legal responsibility, tiredness, medicine and when not to drive.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Accidents and emergencies on Swedish roads

Protecting the scene, warning others, calling for help and acting calmly.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Railway crossings, buses and trams in Sweden

Special traffic situations where patience, observation and clear priority matter.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Overtaking and lane changes in Sweden

Mirror routines, blind spots, speed difference, gaps and when not to overtake.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Darkness driving and vehicle lights in Sweden

Using lights correctly, seeing vulnerable road users and adapting speed at night.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Theory study plan for the Swedish driving test

How to build a realistic weekly plan for rules, risk, signs and mixed practice.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

How to review practice tests for the Swedish theory exam

Turning wrong answers into learning instead of repeating the same quiz mistakes.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

After passing the driving test in Sweden

What changes after approval, how to keep learning and why probation matters.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Driving in rain and aquaplaning in Sweden

Wet roads, tyre grip, visibility, puddles and how to reduce aquaplaning risk.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Roadworks and temporary signs in Sweden

Temporary speed limits, workers, lane shifts and reading the newest instruction first.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
Driving licence processMay 22, 2026

Children, school zones and residential areas in Sweden

Low speed, unpredictable movement, parked cars and extra observation near children.

5 min · Nordic Theory LabsRead →
DesignApr 02, 2026

The test isn't the goal

Notes on designing for drivers, not test-takers. Why the Swedish theory test rewards the wrong kind of memory — and what we did about it in the product.

6 min · S. LindqvistRead →
Theory testMar 18, 2026

Why so many retakes happen on signs & signals

An honest breakdown of the chapter people lose the most points on, with the seven sign families that account for 60% of mistakes.

9 min · M. ErikssonRead →
Field notesMar 04, 2026

A week at Trafikverket in Farsta

We sat in the waiting room for five days and watched 312 people walk in for their theory test. Patterns in who passed, who didn't, and what they were carrying.

11 min · M. ErikssonRead →
ProductFeb 20, 2026

Adaptive scheduling, in three lines of math

A walk through the spaced-repetition curve we use, why we abandoned SuperMemo's full algorithm, and the simplification that didn't hurt outcomes.

8 min · S. LindqvistRead →
DesignFeb 06, 2026

Twelve languages, one grammar

How we structure the question pool so the same item reads naturally in Swedish, Tigrinya, and Pashto — without a translation engineer.

7 min · S. LindqvistRead →
StudioJan 22, 2026

Year One, in numbers

48,000 students. €0 in paid acquisition. A quiet but honest look at what worked, what didn't, and what we'd cut if we started over today.

10 min · M. ErikssonRead →
Theory testJan 08, 2026

Risk & environment: the missed chapter

The chapter most people skim. Why it matters more than signs, and the four habits Trafikverket examiners actually test for.

6 min · M. ErikssonRead →
Field notesDec 12, 2025

Letters from readers, Nov '25

A monthly roundup of the most thoughtful mail we received — from a refugee in Malmö, a Trafikverket instructor in Lund, and a parent in Umeå.

5 min · S. LindqvistRead →
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