Norms and standards

    Data communication

    Driving is becoming increasingly digital, and digital devices are becoming more and more interconnected. For this to function smoothly, they must be brought up to a uniform standard.

    Driving is becoming increasingly digital, and digital devices are becoming more and more interconnected. For this to function smoothly, they must be brought up to a uniform standard.

    1. Topics
    2. Automotive industry
    3. Standardization and technical standards
    4. Data communication

    Standardization at international level

    Networking in motor vehicles has been taking place for 30 years. Here, interoperable interfaces are an essential prerequisite for effective communication. With the introduction of the CAN bus in vehicles, the ISO 11898 series of standards was quick to lay the foundation for the required interoperability for communication between control units in vehicles. New system requirements (e.g. infotainment, electromobility, driver assistance functions, automated driving), but also weight and cost reduction, have led to evolutionary technological developments. In addition to communication media, higher-level apllications such as diagnostic, video, or sensor protocols, as well as the corresponding test methods, all play an important role in standardization. Standardized data formats, which have a key function in communication, have also been defined in various norms. 

    In this connection, project development in the corresponding ISO commitee is subject to the following basic communication structure based on the ISO/OSI reference model:

    This structure allows an optimal allocation of existing and future standardization projects. The following excerpt provides an essential summary of the most important standards in the field of data communication. 

    • ISO 11898 (series of standards), Controller Area Network (CAN) interface; 

    • ISO 11992 (series of standards), CAN-based interface between tractor and trailer; 

    • ISO 13209 (series of standards), Open Test sequence eXchange Format (OTX); 

    • ISO 14229 (series of standards), standardized diagnosis protocol; 

    • ISO 15031, 27145 (series of standards), OBD-diagnosis protocol (referended in the OBD-legislation); 

    • ISO 15118 (series of standards), communication interface between EVs and charging stations; 

    • ISO 17987 (series of standards), Local Interconnect Network (LIN); 

    • ISO 20078 (series of standards), Extended Vehicle; 

    • ISO 20730 (series of standards), electronic Periodic Technical Inspection (ePTI); 

    • ISO 21111 (series of standards), Automotive Ethernet; 

    • ISO 22901 (series of standards), Open diagnostic data exchange (ODX); 

    • ISO 23150, sensor interface for automated driving functions.

    Developments and innovations in the field of connected, automated driving have led to the following, possible new projects, which are currently being promoted by German experts:

    • 2nd generation interface between tractor and trailer for commercial vehicles, based on Ethernet (early developments already took place in the Automotive Technology Research at the VDA)

    • Vehicle communication interface based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing  (OFDM) that is already used in mobile telecommunication (the VDA is an associate partner in this project sponsored by the Ministry of Economy).

    Standardization and Technical Standards

    Eric Wern

    National, European and International standardization for: Vehicle communication technologies, Intelligent transport systems, Vehicle control, ergonomics, CEN/TC 301,Visibility

    eric.wern@vda.de
    +49 30 897842-323

    Read on