Last year, ADASIS AISBL celebrated its 20th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of automotive technology. As one of ERTICO’s pioneering innovations, ADASIS continues to play a vital role in propelling modern automotive technology forward. Building upon this legacy, the highly anticipated ADASISv3 2.1 specification was publicly released in April 2023, solidifying ADASIS’s standard commitment to driving innovation in the industry.

In the era of connected vehicles and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the utilisation of digital map data has proven to be a game-changer. Traditionally accessed only by navigation systems, digital map data holds greater potential when made accessible for other in-vehicle applications. With an increasing number of vehicle functions relying on predictive information about the road ahead and the current vehicle position, digital maps offer a broader range of data compared to traditional camera or radar systems. They complement the information provided by various sensors, including radar, camera, ultrasound, or LiDAR.

ADASIS, an advanced driver assistance systems interface specification, introduces the concept of the “ADAS Horizon.” The ADAS Horizon conveys road network information and characteristics derived from map data along the vehicle’s path. By utilising the vehicle’s current position and potential paths through the road network, the ADAS Horizon is constructed, resulting in a hierarchy of paths. Road geometry and related attributes are incorporated, forming the foundation of the ADAS Horizon. This valuable data can be serialised and transmitted over the vehicle communication network.

To ensure interoperability of different implementations, the ADASIS AISBL is standardising the ADASIS protocol. The most recent ADASISv3 specification has been developed to address the growing demand for higher resolution and more detailed data for future applications. It enables the distribution of ADASISv3 Horizon data from the horizon provider to clients’ applications connected via a communication medium.

ADASISv3 introduces several major improvements compared to its predecessor, ADASISv2. These enhancements, necessary to support the access of HD maps, include increased resolution, explicit end offsets for profile entries, the ability to pack multiple profile entries into a single message, path control and profile control mechanisms, dynamic behaviour support, comprehensive vehicle position messages, detailed lane and line geometry, additional data such as flow speed, and support for detailed information required by Automated Driving functions.

The newest ADASISv3 2.0 is introducing the ADASISv3 Reference API, empowering the development of third-party ADAS applications. Looking ahead, the release of higher ADASISv3 versions (such as ADASISv3 2.1) is expected to bring further enhancements, refinements, and additional features to the ADASIS framework like auxiliary Horizon Providers for other types of geo-referenced data to be attached to the main Horizon Provider, ensuring its continued position at the forefront of ADAS technology.

With the availability of the ADASISv3 Reference API and the soon-to-be-released ADASISv3 Starter Kit, developers will have the necessary tools to unlock the full potential of ADASIS and create ground-breaking ADAS applications. The public release of the ADASISv3 specification in April 2023 represents a significant milestone in the advancement of ADAS. The ADASIS partners are currently involved in writing a white paper to raise awareness about the newest ADASISv3, highlighting the functionalities and the differences with the previous ADASISv2.

By leveraging the power of digital maps and expanding the scope of their applications, the future of connected vehicles is poised to reach new heights. Future releases of ADASISv3 will bring further enhancements, solidifying ADASIS position at the forefront of ADAS technology.