COVESA and JASPAR Advance Vehicle API Standardization Through Strategic Partnership

On June 18, the Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance (COVESA) and JASPAR (Japan Automotive Software Platform and Architecture) formalized a new collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at accelerating Vehicle API Standardization across the automotive industry. The agreement establishes active cooperation on standardized application programming interfaces built on COVESA’s Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) and Vehicle Information Service Specification (VISS). The initiative is designed to support greater interoperability and consistency in vehicle software architectures as the industry continues its transition toward software-defined mobility.

JASPAR, a leading automotive software standardization organization supported by major Japanese automakers and suppliers, is actively promoting vehicle software development initiatives originating from Japan. Its membership includes companies such as Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, alongside other Tier 1 automotive suppliers. Through this collaboration, both organizations aim to strengthen industry alignment around common vehicle data models and API frameworks that can be adopted across a broad range of automotive platforms.

Key Highlights of the COVESA and JASPAR Collaboration

The newly signed agreement focuses on leveraging established technologies developed by COVESA, particularly VSS and VISS, to advance standardized vehicle communication interfaces. These technologies provide a structured approach for accessing vehicle data and services, helping developers create interoperable applications and software solutions. The collaboration is expected to contribute to more efficient software integration processes while supporting industry-wide standardization efforts.

Yoriito Open-Source Project Introduced

Alongside the partnership announcement, JASPAR offered an initial preview of Yoriito, a new open-source project focused on vehicle APIs. The project is built upon COVESA’s VSS and VISS technologies and represents a significant contribution to the automotive software ecosystem. Yoriito currently includes more than 1,000 APIs and over 370,000 lines of code contributed by participating members, highlighting extensive industry involvement and collaboration.

Yoriito Project Overview

The introduction of Yoriito demonstrates growing momentum behind open-source automotive software development. By combining a large API library with substantial community-contributed code, the project aims to provide a practical foundation for future vehicle software applications. The initiative also reflects increasing cooperation between global industry organizations and Japanese automotive stakeholders in developing common software standards for connected and software-defined vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the COVESA and JASPAR partnership?
The partnership aims to advance standardized vehicle APIs by combining the expertise and technologies of both organizations. Through collaboration on COVESA’s Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) and Vehicle Information Service Specification (VISS), the initiative seeks to improve interoperability, streamline vehicle software development, and encourage broader adoption of common automotive software standards. This effort supports the industry's shift toward software-defined vehicles and more connected mobility ecosystems.

What is Yoriito and why is it important?
Yoriito is a new open-source vehicle API project introduced by JASPAR to support automotive software development. Built on COVESA’s VSS and VISS technologies, it contains more than 1,000 APIs and over 370,000 lines of member-contributed code. The project provides developers with a substantial software foundation for building vehicle applications while promoting collaboration, standardization, and innovation across the global automotive software community.