Unlocking Long-Term Business Value with COVESA’s Vehicle Data Model (VDM)

Earlier this month, we introduced the launch of COVESA’s new Vehicle Data Modeling project. Now, we’re excited to share our latest white paper, EVOLVING TOWARDS A VEHICLE DATA MODEL (VDM) FOR LONG-TERM BUSINESS VALUE, which dives deeper into its business impact and strategic benefits.

VDM represents the next evolution in vehicle data modeling, building on the simplicity, accessibility, and community ownership of Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS), while improving enhanced flexibility, governance, and interoperability needed for the next decade of connected mobility.

By leveraging open standards, VDM empowers organizations to model data not only from vehicles but across adjacent domains, including charging infrastructure, fleet operations, and urban systems, unlocking new opportunities for integration and innovation. Integrating changing station data with vehicle battery state, or linking vehicle telemetry with smart parking systems, or supporting real-time urban traffic management are all examples of innovations enabled by VDM.

Why VDM Matters for Your Organization

1. Faster Integration & Onboarding: VDM uses widely adopted open tooling recognized beyond the automotive sector, making it easier to collaborate with external partners and ecosystems. A common modeling language and tooling accelerates onboarding.
2. Reduced Duplication & Rework: VDM supports consistent data definitions across projects and partners. With a governed conceptual model, teams can avoid reinventing the wheel.
3. Cross-Domain Flexibility: VDM is flexible enough to support broader ecosystems that interact with vehicles and adjacent domains like charging systems, fleet operations, and urban infrastructure. Additionally, VDM can be extended to support emerging cross-domain business models, such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), enabling new business models and ecosystem interactions.
4. Open Source Communities: VDM leverages the strong, widely adopted GraphQL (GraphQL Foundation) and SKOS (W3C), both backed by rich open-source ecosystems with abundant tools, resources, and skilled contributors.
5. Coexistence with VSS: VDM doesn’t replace VSS; it complements it. The two can coexist and share concepts, allowing organizations to evolve their data strategies without disruption. COVESA remains fully committed to VSS, which will continue to receive full support for both current and future adopters. VDM is a strategic enabler for long-term business value. Whether you’re looking to streamline operations, expand into new domains, or future-proof your data architecture, VDM offers flexibility and openness to get you there faster.

Get Involved

To learn more and get involved, attend the COVESA All Member Meeting on October 23, featuring an Introduction to Vehicle Data Model and Status at 10 AM and a Hands-on Deep Dive into VDM at 11 AM. Visit the project home, join weekly meetings on Thursdays, review the VDM  approach to identify opportunities, participate in pilot programs, and contribute to governance discussions to help shape the future of vehicle data modeling.