A facility for testing the performance of hydrogen safety sensors under a wide range of ambient conditions is described. A specific test protocol was developed to test sensors under conditions which could reasonably be expected during the sensors' service life. The tests were based on those described in IEC 61779 and were adapted following consultation with car manufacturers and after careful consideration of the sensors expected service environmental conditions. The protocol was evaluated by using it to test a large number of commercially available sensors. Observations made and experience gained during the testing campaign allowed the test protocol to be fine-tuned bearing in mind the sensor performance and behaviour during tests. The result of this work is an experimentally evaluated methodology which may be used as a guideline for testing the suitability of hydrogen sensors for automotive applications. (c) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.