The International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems (ISTVS) is an educational, non-profit, non-political organization with the mission to advance the knowledge in terrain-vehicle (machine) systems for improvements in engineering practice and for innovation, and to promote the transfer of advanced knowledge to the user for the benefit of society at large in environmental protection, energy conservation, and sustainable development. International conferences of ISTVS are organized every third year, with regional conferences organized in between.

In 2011 we celebrated 50 years since the First International Conference on the Mechanics of Soil-Vehicle Systems was held in Turin, Italy, in 1961! Our society, The International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems (ISTVS) was created one year later, at the request of the General Assembly of this conference.

The 12th European Regional Conference of the ISTVS will be hosted in Pretoria, South Africa. Pretoria, the Capital of South Africa, was founded in 1855. It is a large African city with around 3.2 million people and spans 3200 square kilometers in area. The University of Pretoria, founded in 1908, is the biggest residential university in South Africa with around 50 000 students and 9 faculties.

The conference venue is the Gerotek Test Facilities, 25km West of Pretoria. Gerotek satisfies the need for an all-encompassing test facility at which vehicle design and development could be monitored in a typical South African environment.

It also offers a one-stop test and evaluation service of electrical, electronic and mechanical products and systems in accordance with a wide range of commercial, industrial and military specifications.

All ISTVS members, students, and non-member professionals in the field are cordially invited to join us in Pretoria for the 12th European Regional Conference of the ISTVS