How much do driving lessons cost at The Hills Driving School?

Packages range from $984 (6 hours) to $4,779 (24 hours). The Hills Basic is $984, Extra is $1,560, Best is $2,144, Ultra is $2,744, and The Hills Complete is $4,779 and includes Tesla Model 3 training.

Does The Hills Driving School offer Tesla driving lessons?

Yes. The Hills Driving School is one of the few driving schools in Los Angeles to offer Tesla Model 3 lessons. Tesla is included in The Hills Complete package and available at additional cost in other packages.

Where is The Hills Driving School located?

We have two locations: 3110 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310-490-0755) and 20855 Ventura Blvd Suite 10A, Woodland Hills, CA 91364 (818-419-5958). We serve Beverly Hills, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Calabasas, Brentwood, West LA, Culver City, Pasadena, and greater Los Angeles.

Does The Hills Driving School offer teen driver's education?

Yes. The Hills Driving School offers behind-the-wheel lessons for teens. Online driver's ed is also available at CaliforniaTeenDriverEd.com for $140 — CA DMV approved.

Who founded The Hills Driving School?

The Hills Driving School was founded in 2022 by Kamran Rafizadeh-Ford, a former SpaceX aerospace technician who applies aerospace safety systems and checklists to driver training in Los Angeles.

Is The Hills Driving School licensed by the California DMV?

Yes. The Hills Driving School is fully licensed by the California DMV to provide behind-the-wheel driver training in Los Angeles County.

CA DMV Licensed · Los Angeles

A New Type
of Driving
School. Aerospace precision. Southern California roads.

Founded by a former SpaceX aerospace technician, The Hills Driving School brings the same systematic safety culture that makes air travel the safest form of transportation — to the roads of Los Angeles.

Turn at a Time

System

Student

Goal

Improving drivers training — 1 turn at a time

Speak with us directly

(310) 490-0755 · (818) 419-5958 · (213) 589-1559

info@thehillsdriving.com

Book Driving Lessons Teen Driver's Ed — $140 Our Philosophy

The Hills Driving School Tesla — Los Angeles

SpaceX Alumni
Aerospace
Training System

Zero-Crash Goal

For every student. For life.

Our Philosophy

Three Principles.
One Mission.

The Hills Driving School was built on three core beliefs about why driver training in the U.S. needs to change — and how to fix it.

Why Does Europe Have Fewer Accidents?

The U.S. driving system is outdated. European countries treat driving as a serious technical skill requiring rigorous, structured education. The result: dramatically lower accident rates. American driving schools have largely failed to adopt this standard — we are changing that in Southern California.

System Reform

Modern Cars Demand Modern Training

In Europe, driving instruction is conducted in newer vehicles — because students take the process more seriously when the environment demands it. We use Teslas, Honda CR-Vs, HR-Vs, and Civic Hybrids. A student learning in a Tesla understands EVs, regenerative braking, and the weight dynamics of modern vehicles — knowledge they will need for the rest of their driving life.

Modern Fleet

Why Is Flying Safer Than Driving?

Despite the technical complexity of aircraft, aviation is far safer than road travel. The difference is the system: checklists, standardized procedures, continuous instructor training, and a zero-defect culture. Our founder brought that exact system from the aerospace industry to driving instruction. The goal is not just to pass a test — it is zero crashes for life.

Aerospace System

The Aerospace Advantage

From SpaceX to
Your Street.

In 2016, while working at SpaceX, Kamran Rafizadeh-Ford watched the Tesla Model 3 debut. He saw a gap: driving schools were not evolving with the vehicles or the standards the world needed. He built the school he wished existed.

The aerospace industry operates on a fundamental principle: defects are not acceptable. Every system, every checklist, every training protocol exists because a single failure can be catastrophic. Kamran brought this mindset to driver education — an industry where failures happen daily and are too often treated as inevitable.

At The Hills Driving School, we apply root cause analysis, continuous improvement, and systematic instruction to every lesson. We do not just teach students to pass the DMV test. We train them to be safe drivers for life.

Our instructors are retrained continuously — even after they hold a state license. Many come to us from other schools specifically because of our system. We have one of the highest instructor retention rates in Southern California.

Founded

2022 by Kamran Rafizadeh-Ford

Background

SpaceX Aerospace Technician

Goal

Zero crashes — in school & for life

Instructor Standard

Continuously retrained beyond state license

Checklists & Systematic Procedures

Every lesson follows a structured protocol. Pre-drive checks, hazard scanning, mirror discipline — the same approach that keeps aircraft safe, adapted for LA roads.

The S.M.O.G. Method

Signal. Mirror. Over-the-shoulder. Go. A systematic lane-change and turning protocol derived from best-practice safety methodology. Taught until it becomes instinct.

Root Cause Analysis

When a student makes an error, we do not just correct it — we identify why it happened and address the root cause. This is standard in aerospace. It is rare in driving schools.

Psychological Readiness

Drawing on European driver education, we address peer pressure, fatigue, stress, and distraction — the human factors that cause most accidents. Technical skill alone is not enough.

Continuous Instructor Development

Our instructors are trained and retrained on our system — even after passing state exams. Instructors from other schools join us because of our standards. That is unusual in this industry.

Driving Change

Better Training.
Lower Premiums.
Safer Roads.

Across California, billboards for accident attorneys dominate the roads — a reflection of a culture that reacts to crashes rather than preventing them. When crashes increase, everyone pays through higher insurance premiums.

The Hills Driving School was founded to challenge that norm. Better training leads to fewer accidents. Fewer accidents mean lower insurance costs for everyone. We believe education is the first line of defense — not litigation.

Deteriorating infrastructure & increase in traffic density

Rise in distracted driving & limited traffic law enforcement

More parents waiting until age 18 to skip formal driver's education

Changes in driver behavior, demographics, and vehicle technology

The Solution

More Training. Better Training.

Implement more frequent and higher-quality driver education programs. Make comprehensive driver training mandatory for all new drivers, regardless of age. Prepare drivers not just for the test — but for a lifetime on the road.

Imagine roads lined with signs for driving schools instead of legal services — a future where preparation takes precedence, and learning is the first defense.

Tesla & EV Training

The Vehicles of Today — and Tomorrow

A Tesla handles fundamentally differently from a conventional vehicle — nearly 1,000 lbs heavier, with instant torque, regenerative braking, and different handling dynamics. Most driving schools have not adapted. We have.

Download: Driving Change Report ↗ Download: May 2025 Newsletter ↗

Our Fleet

Modern Cars.
Modern Training.

We teach in the vehicles your student will actually encounter on the road — including EVs. Because the future of driving is already here, and training should reflect it.

EV & Premium

Tesla Model 3

Electric vehicle training for the modern road. Students learn EV-specific dynamics: instant torque, regenerative braking, and the handling characteristics of a near-1,000 lb heavier vehicle. Available in select packages and The Hills Complete.

Electric Vehicle

Honda CR-V Hybrid

A modern, full-size hybrid SUV providing students with experience in the type of vehicle many will drive as adults. Dual-control with instructor override. Comfortable for longer lessons.

Hybrid SUV

Honda HR-V

A compact, highly maneuverable crossover — ideal for urban LA driving, tight parking, and building confidence in smaller spaces. Standard base vehicle for most packages.

Compact Crossover

Honda Civic Hybrid

Our most accessible vehicle — nimble, responsive, and ideal for building foundational driving skills. The Honda Civic Hybrid combines efficiency with the real-world feel of California's most common vehicle class.

Hybrid Sedan

*Rates based on Honda HR-V / Civic / Civic Hybrid. Tesla available at additional cost for most packages. The Hills Complete includes all vehicle options.

Driving Packages

Choose Your
Training Level

Five structured programs designed to take students from foundational skills to complete road-test readiness — with every step rooted in our aerospace-grade training system.

The Hills Basic

$984

6 Hours

✓Pickup & Drop-off

✓Certificate of Completion

✓Basic Car Control

✓Turns & Lane Changes

✓Parking

✓Traffic Laws

✓Test Preparation

—Defensive Driving

—Parallel Parking

—Freeway Driving

The Hills Extra

$1,560

10 Hours

✓Pickup & Drop-off

✓Certificate of Completion

✓Basic Car Control

✓Turns & Lane Changes

✓Parking

✓Traffic Laws

✓Test Preparation

✓Defensive Driving

—Parallel Parking

—Freeway Driving

The Instructors
Make the Difference

Technology and vehicles matter. But the instructor in the seat next to your student is what truly shapes a safe driver. We have built a team unlike any other driving school in Southern California.

Kamran Rafizadeh-Ford — The Hills Driving School Founder

We imagine every student is our son or daughter — and teach with the same amount of care. That is not a slogan. It is the standard we hold every instructor to, every lesson.

Instructors from other schools come to us — not the other way around. We have one of the highest instructor retention rates we know of in Southern California. Our people stay because the system works and the standards are real.

Retrained Beyond State Certification

State licensing is the floor, not the ceiling. Every Hills instructor is continuously trained on our system — even experienced instructors who join us from other schools.

One of the Highest Retention Rates in Southern California

Instructors from competing schools choose to join The Hills Driving School. We keep them because our culture, system, and standards make this a place worth staying.

Specialized Tesla & EV Instruction

EV dynamics require specific instruction. Our instructors are trained on the handling, weight, and braking characteristics unique to electric vehicles — especially the Tesla Model 3.

The Zero-Crash Standard

Our goal is zero crashes — both during training and throughout our students' driving lives. Every lesson, every decision, every correction is made with that standard in mind.

Locations

Greater Los Angeles.
Two Locations.

We serve families across greater Los Angeles — from the Westside to the Valley. Pickup and dropoff available across our full service area.

Westside

Santa Monica

3110 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405

(310) 490-0755

San Fernando Valley

Woodland Hills

20855 Ventura Blvd, Suite 10A
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

(818) 419-5958

Service area: Beverly Hills · Brentwood · Studio City · Sherman Oaks · Encino · Calabasas · West LA · Culver City · Pasadena · and throughout greater Los Angeles. If your area is not listed, call us — we most likely serve you.

A New Type
of Driving
School. Aerospace precision. Southern California roads.

Three Principles.
One Mission.