Overview
ISO 22900-3:2012 - Road vehicles - Modular vehicle communication interface (MVCI) - Part 3: Diagnostic server application programming interface (D‑Server API) - defines an object‑oriented API for implementing vehicle diagnostic server applications. The standard enables interoperable, exchangeable server implementations used in vehicle design, production and maintenance. It specifies how client applications access and integrate on‑board control units (ECUs) via a communication server and a VCI (vehicle communication interface) module to perform diagnostic services.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Object‑oriented API model: Defines the structure, terminology and conventions (classes, inheritance, collections, events) for MVCI diagnostic servers.
- MCD system and function blocks: Includes the MCD system object, Diagnostic function block (D), jobs, projects and ECU state handling.
- Protocol independence: Server API is designed to work with the protocol‑independent D‑PDU API (ISO 22900‑2) and supports diagnostic protocols such as UDS (ISO 14229) and KWP2000 (ISO 14230).
- Data modelling and configuration: Uses ODX (ISO 22901‑1) for ECU and vehicle‑specific configuration data and variant identification.
- Diagnostic primitives and services: Defines DiagComPrimitives, request/response handling, suppress positive response, variable length parameters, functional addressing and DTC (diagnostic trouble code) handling.
- ECU programming and flash support: Describes job and FlashJob concepts for ECU (re‑)programming and handling binary flash data (optional features).
- Bus and transport support: Covers logical link/transport mapping (CAN/DoCAN/DoIP), monitoring of vehicle bus traffic and VCI selection features.
- Internationalization and error handling: Includes mechanisms for internationalization, standardized error codes and annexes for datatype/string conversion and system parameters.
- Implementation mapping: References ASAM mapping rules for COM/IDL, C++ and Java to support multi‑language deployments and remote server usage.
Practical applications and users
Who uses ISO 22900‑3:
- OEMs and Tier‑1 suppliers for standardized diagnostic server implementations.
- VCI and tool vendors building interchangeable server modules or diagnostic tools.
- Software architects integrating diagnostic services across platforms (desktop, embedded, remote servers).
- Aftermarket diagnostic tool developers, test labs and service centers needing multi‑protocol support.
Typical applications:
- Unified diagnostic and programming applications that work with multiple VCIs and vehicle platforms.
- Remote diagnostic servers providing access to ECU services across networks.
- Production line and workshop systems for ECU reprogramming, DTC readout and vehicle bus monitoring.
Related standards (selection)
Keywords: ISO 22900‑3, MVCI, D‑Server API, vehicle diagnostics, ECU programming, ODX, D‑PDU API, VCI, UDS, automotive diagnostic standard.