Due to the similarities with the Soviet BRDM-1 armoured scout car, D-442 FUG is often misinterpreted as a BRDM-1 modification.

The Hungarian military leadership had abandoned the promising domestic recon armored car project based on the WW2-era Csaba, because the Soviet government promised to sell large numbers of old BA-64s from Soviet reserves at a low price.

Hungary never received any BAs, thus Hungarian People's Army had no wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle from 1945 until the 1960s.

The transmission is located in the middle; this made the crew compartment noisy, but facilitates maintenance compared to BRDM.

During production every plate was shot (using AK-47 and PK) in order to control the quality, and the traces of this testing are visible on vehicles.

Therefore, the front axle had external fastening points rather than screws through the belly plate, and only the steering rod penetrated the armor.

The development of the domestic-designed small turret with anti-tank rocket-launcher and PKT were abandoned for political reasons.

To operate the pintle-mounted 7.62 mm light machine gun in the front, the soldier had to expose himself to enemy fire.

The other similarities with the BRDM-1 include the windshields which in combat situation are replaced by armoured shutters with integral vision blocks and two firing ports on both sides of the troop compartment.

When the shutters are in their opened position they protect the driver and commander from being blinded by the sunlight, and ensure that the windscreens will not be blurred by rain or snow.

Like the BDRM-1 and BRDM-2, it has four auxiliary belly wheels which the driver can hydraulically lower to assist the vehicle in crossing obstacles and gaps.

The Hungarian FÚG version can be fitted with a pintle-mounted RPD LMG, but on the OT-65 the main weapon was a 7.62 UK (vz.

The drawbacks of FUG, and the lack of modern APCs in Warsaw Pact caused the planning of D-944 PSZH developed in the late 1960s.

The PSZH was designed as the main armoured personnel carrier of the Hungarian Armed Forces, border guard and internal security services too.

FÚG armoured scout cars were serving with armies of six Warsaw Pact countries: Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, East Germany and Romania.

Hungary also developed the PSzH-IV armored personnel carrier from the D-944 PSzH armoured scout car.

The PSzH-IV prototype first appeared in 1966 and only took part in a single maneuver parade in Bratislava, mounting an egg-shaped turret and dummy automatic cannon.