diff --git a/tests/driver_vl53l1x/Makefile b/tests/driver_vl53l1x/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a2bd54b3b315
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/driver_vl53l1x/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+include ../Makefile.tests_common
+
+USEMODULE += vl53l1x
+USEMODULE += xtimer
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/driver_vl53l1x/main.c b/tests/driver_vl53l1x/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4a0294d5c11f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/driver_vl53l1x/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2018 Gunar Schorcht
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @ingroup     tests
+ * @brief       Test application for ST VL53L1X Time-of-Flight distance sensor
+ * @author      Gunar Schorcht <gunar@schorcht.net>
+ * @file
+ *
+ * The test application demonstrates the usage of different functions
+ * dependent on the used driver variant:
+ *
+ * - module vl53l1x         standard driver with most functionality is used
+ * - module vl53l1x_st_api  ST API driver with complete functionality is used
+ * - module vl53l1x_basic   basic driver with only very basic functionality is
+ *                          used
+ *
+ * What driver variant is used can be defined at make command line. By default,
+ * the standard driver variant vl53l1x is used:
+ *
+ *     make flash -C tests/driver_vl53l1x BOARD=...
+ *
+ * To use other driver variants, module vl53l1x_st_api or module vl53l1x_basic
+ * have to be specified at make command line
+ *
+ *     USEMODULE=vl53l1x_st_api make flash -C tests/driver_vl53l1x BOARD=...
+ *
+ * or
+ *
+ *     USEMODULE=vl53l1x_basic make flash -C tests/driver_vl53l1x BOARD=...
+ *
+ * If the configuration parameter VL53L1X_PARAM_PIN_INT is defined, interrupts
+ * are used to get data instead of polling for new data. In the case of driver
+ * variant vl53l1x_st_api, threshold interrupts are configured. Otherwise
+ * only data interrupts are used.
+ *
+ * In all cases, the sensor is configured with following default parameters:
+ *
+ * - timing budget of 50 ms
+ * - intermeasurement period of 100 ms
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "thread.h"
+#include "xtimer.h"
+
+#include "vl53l1x.h"
+#include "vl53l1x_params.h"
+
+/* reference to main thread */
+kernel_pid_t p_main;
+
+static void isr (void *arg)
+{
+    (void)arg;
+    /*
+     * The ISR function is executed in the interrupt context. It must not be
+     * blocking or time-consuming and must not access the sensor directly
+     * via I2C.
+     *
+     * Therefore, the ISR function only indicates to the waiting thread that
+     * an interrupt has occurred which needs to be handled in the thread
+     * context.
+     */
+    msg_t msg;
+    msg_send(&msg, p_main);
+}
+
+int main(void)
+{
+    /* Initialize the sensor */
+    vl53l1x_t dev;
+
+    /* initialize the sensor  */
+    puts("VL53L1X Time-of-Flight distance sensor\n");
+    puts("Initializing VL53L1X sensor");
+
+    if (vl53l1x_init(&dev, &vl53l1x_params[0]) == VL53L1X_OK) {
+        printf("[OK]\n");
+    }
+    else {
+        printf("[Failed]\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    #if !MODULE_VL53L1X_BASIC
+    /* optional read and print the ROI */
+    vl53l1x_roi_t roi;
+    if (vl53l1x_get_roi(&dev, &roi) == VL53L1X_OK) {
+        printf("old ROI top left [%d, %d], ROI bottom right [%d, %d]\n",
+               roi.x_tl, roi.y_tl, roi.x_br, roi.y_br);
+    }
+    roi.x_tl = 4;
+    roi.y_tl = 12;
+    roi.x_br = 12;
+    roi.y_br = 4;
+    if (vl53l1x_set_roi(&dev, &roi) == VL53L1X_OK &&
+        vl53l1x_get_roi(&dev, &roi) == VL53L1X_OK) {
+        printf("new ROI top left [%d, %d], ROI bottom right [%d, %d]\n",
+               roi.x_tl, roi.y_tl, roi.x_br, roi.y_br);
+    }
+    #endif /* !MODULE_VL53L1X_BASIC */
+
+    /* save the main thread pid */
+    p_main = sched_active_pid;
+
+    /* if interrupt pin is defined, enable the interrupt */
+    if (vl53l1x_params[0].pin_int != GPIO_UNDEF) {
+        #if MODULE_VL53L1X_ST_API
+        /* generate interrrupts when distance is between 200 mm and 400 mm */
+        vl53l1x_int_config_t cfg = {
+            .mode = VL53L1X_INT_DIST,
+            .dist_mode = VL53L1X_THRESH_IN,
+            .dist_high = 400,
+            .dist_low  = 200,
+        };
+        vl53l1x_int_config(&dev, &cfg, isr, 0);
+        #else
+        vl53l1x_int_config(&dev, 0, isr, 0);
+        #endif /* MODULE_VL53L1X_ST_API */
+    }
+
+    while (1) {
+        /* if interrupt pin is defined, wait for the interrupt */
+        if (vl53l1x_params[0].pin_int != GPIO_UNDEF) {
+            msg_t msg;
+            msg_receive(&msg);
+        }
+        else {
+            /* otherwise wait 100 ms. */
+            xtimer_usleep(100 * US_PER_MS);
+        }
+
+        #if MODULE_VL53L1X_BASIC
+        int16_t mm;
+
+        if (vl53l1x_data_ready(&dev) == VL53L1X_OK &&
+            vl53l1x_read_mm(&dev, &mm) == VL53L1X_OK) {
+
+            printf("distance=%d [mm]\n", mm);
+        }
+        #else
+        vl53l1x_data_t data;
+
+        if (vl53l1x_data_ready(&dev) == VL53L1X_OK &&
+            vl53l1x_read_data(&dev, &data) == VL53L1X_OK) {
+
+            printf("distance=%d [mm] status=%u "
+                   "signal=%u.%03u [mcps] ambient=%u.%03u [mcps]\n",
+                   data.distance, data.status,
+                   data.signal_rate >> 16,
+                   (unsigned)((data.signal_rate & 0xffff)/65.535),
+                   data.ambient_rate >> 16,
+                   (unsigned)((data.ambient_rate & 0xffff)/65.535));
+        }
+        #endif /* MODULE_VL53L1X_BASIC */
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}