Driving School 2017: The Full Guide to Ovilex's Driving Simulator

By Nham Vu · Updated July 2026

Driving School 2017 is a mobile and console driving simulator built by Ovilex Soft, first released on July 20, 2017 for Android and iOS before later landing on Nintendo Switch. I've put a fair number of hours into it over the years, mostly because it does something a lot of arcade racers skip entirely: it makes you actually learn to drive rather than just mash the gas and drift around corners.

The pitch is simple. You sit through structured lessons, get tested on parking, junctions, and traffic rules, then get turned loose in an open city to drive whatever car or truck you've unlocked. It's not flashy, but it's the kind of game that rewards patience, and that's exactly what trips up new players who expect it to play like a normal racing title.

What made Driving School 2017 popular?

Driving School 2017 built its audience on realism at a time when most mobile racing games leaned entirely arcade. Ovilex Soft had already found a formula with earlier entries in the series, and this installment refined it with better city environments, stricter license exam logic, and a genuine variety of vehicles beyond just sedans.

What kept people coming back, from what I've seen in the community and in my own sessions, is the sense of progression. You don't just unlock a car because you paid for it. You earn the right to drive trucks and buses by passing tests first, which gives the whole thing a structure that a lot of copycat driving apps never bothered to build.

What were the popular driving school cars in 2017?

The vehicle roster in Driving School 2017 spans everyday cars, sport models, and heavy vehicles, and the best players I've seen tend to gravitate toward the same handful early on because they're forgiving during license tests.

The lineup includes a mix of the following vehicle categories:

• Compact and family sedans for basic license tests
• Sport and performance cars once you've unlocked free roam
• Delivery vans and pickup trucks with different handling weight
• Heavy trucks with trailers for advanced license tiers
• City buses, which are the toughest to park cleanly

Is Driving School 2017 on iPhone?

Yes, Driving School 2017 has an official iOS release available through the App Store, alongside the Android version on Google Play. Both mobile versions share the same core content, though performance can vary depending on the device.

In practice, the iOS build runs smoothly on most iPhones from the last several years, but if you're on an older device, expect longer load times between the garage screen and the open city.

Who made Driving School 2016?

Driving School 2016 was also developed by Ovilex Soft, the same studio behind Driving School 2017, and it served as the direct predecessor in the series. Ovidiu Pop is credited alongside Ovilex Soft and Alexandru Marusac as publishers on the 2017 title, and the same core team carried the concept forward year over year.

If you've played the 2016 version, the 2017 sequel will feel familiar fast. The jump between them was mostly about expanded content and tighter controls rather than a full reinvention.

Is Driving School 2017 online or offline?

Driving School 2017 is primarily a single-player, offline-capable experience once installed, meaning you can play through lessons and free roam without a constant internet connection. Some versions and web ports circulating online let you play through a browser, which does require a connection, but the native mobile and Switch versions do not depend on multiplayer servers to function.

This matters if you're the type who plays on a commute or somewhere with spotty signal. Install it once, and the actual driving and testing content doesn't need you to stay connected.

What is the driving school game for PS5?

There isn't a direct Driving School 2017 release on PS5. The confirmed platforms for this title are Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch, based on official listings. Anyone searching for a PlayStation driving school game is likely thinking of a different simulator entirely, since Ovilex's series has stayed focused on mobile and Switch rather than expanding to Sony consoles.

If console play matters to you, the Switch version is your best bet for a bigger screen and controller support instead of touch controls.

How do you actually get good at Driving School 2017?

Getting good at Driving School 2017 comes down to treating the license tests as the actual game rather than an obstacle before free roam. A lot of new players rush through instructions and fail parking exams repeatedly because they're not reading the on-screen cues about wheel angle and braking distance.

A few habits make the difference once you've spent real time with it:

• Slow down well before junctions instead of braking at the last second
• Use mirrors and indicators even though the game won't always force it
• Practice parallel parking in free roam before attempting it in a test
• Upgrade handling on a car before chasing top speed upgrades