abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivSince 1996, OBD-II has been the standard to which all passenger vehicles in the United States must comply. A standardization move that was led by the government of California, OBD-II was a direct replacement for the mishmash of methodology and proprietary information created by automotive manufacturers in the '80s as each of them wrote their own (code) book. It's been a good 30-year run, but now it's time for OBD-II to be replaced by a new on-board diagnostic methodology: UDS. Let's find out about these so-called Unified Diagnostic Services.abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivThe replacement of OBD-II has been a long time coming. About 15 years ago, as car thieves gained access to more powerful handheld tools (via smartphones, usually), security issues in OBD-II appeared. Car thieves upped their hacking skills around this time, and discovered they could take control of various car systems via the OBD-II interface.Eventually a rash of car thefts occurred in specific manufacturers - largely Korean in origin - as thieves discovered they could use an OBD-II device to steal a vehicle without the key. They quickly uploaded how-to videos to Instagram and similar apps, and the problem was instantly widespread. Designed in the early '90s, OBD-II did not consider the sort of theft technology available today. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn short, as cars became more complicated and added layers of electrical systems between 1996 and today (think Bluetooth capability, remote start, push button start, cameras, sensors, etc) the manufacturers extended the OBD-II bus beyond what it was originally intended to do. Thus, there was not authentication or authorization between the various OBD systems and they did not contain security measures. Instead, manufacturers hid these unsecured systems deep down in the programming, and crossed their fingers that unsavory types wouldn't locate them. The key was under the doormat.abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivIn the 2010s, a new problem arrived with OBD-II as there was a new type of passenger vehicle: the EV. As EVs produced no tailpipe emissions, OBD-II regulation did not apply to them. This led to a split in methodology like in the '80s.Extant automakers like GM, Ford, and Nissan included an OBD-II port in their EVs, used in diagnostics for module and network issues. However, Tesla skipped the OBD-II port (because they could) and went the proprietary diagnostic plug method, or included cloud-based diagnostics. Port availability was mixed among other EV companies, as Rivian provided an OBD-II port but Lucid did not.abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivA considerable update to the OBD-II standards was needed, and work began in 2001 before the EV conundrum reared its head. The new standard added a new layer of communication between the controllers, sensors, and systems providing the information. Iterations were called UDS 1, UDS 2, and finalized in UDS 3. The SAE formally specified the new standards under J1979-2 (OBDonUDS), and made them mandatory in the United States. Crucially, UDS operates on the existing OBD-II port, and did not require a redesign.AdvertisementAdvertisementUDS is based on a protocol change, to ISO 14229 instead of the old OBD test modes. Notably, the ISO is an international standard, and will apply to vehicles globally, a first. DTCs will change as a part of UDS, as OBD-II was running out of codes given the advancement of passenger cars since 1996. The codes move from 2-byte to 3-byte codes, which greatly expands the number of code possibilities and depth of information.abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivThe 3-byte trouble code is made of three parts: the negative response service identifier (SID), the given SID value returned from the request, and an NRC code which indicates the reason for the negative response. There's an in-depth UDS primer here, it's far more than we could cover in this article. But here's an example of a MAF circuit malfunction code in UDS: 59 02 08 01 00 00 09.Data will greatly expand with UDS, as the system supports more extensive records. It also allows environmental snapshots to be taken for up to five concurrent trouble codes. On-board monitors will also have improved tracking of data. abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivPerhaps most importantly, UDS has been designed to cover all vehicle systems from the start. Expanding far beyond the emissions intentions of OBD-II, UDS will provide enhanced diagnostics across the entire vehicle.AdvertisementAdvertisementUDS 3 was finalized in 2023 and introduced with an optional phase-in period. Since then, a few production models are already on the roads with UDS for the 2025 or 2026 model year. Ford is an early adopter, and its models like Explorer, Expedition, Maverik, and the Bronco Sport all have UDS. Honda has implemented UDS on the Passport, and BMW uses it on several crossover models labeled X1 to X7.abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivIf one is not a fan of change and does not want a UDS-equipped new vehicle, it's presently a last-of moment to obtain an OBD-II vehicle. Starting January 2027, UDS is required on all United States vehicles in the light and medium-duty markets, including EVs. In a few months, the very last vehicle will be produced that includes OBD-II. Probably a Chevy Express or something.There's a catch with UDS, however. Unlike OBD-II where every manufacturer was forced to be on the same page with information front and center, UDS was designed with flexibility. It specifically accommodates OEM-specific and proprietary softwares. UDS reserves a range of its SIDs for manufacturer-specific diagnostic routines and other "proprietary functions."abandoned history obd ii and the standardization of our troubles part ivManufacturers can also create their own diagnostic modes alongside the standard modes, which might unlock more information if per se, you took your car to the dealer. UDS also introduces proprietary software and flashing routines that are protected by security protocols requiring a specific seed (from the diagnostic tool) and key (verified by the car's ECU).AdvertisementAdvertisementThe extent to which manufacturers will wrap additional layers of proprietary information in their special diagnostic modes, software, and over-the-air updates is yet to be seen. The only check to this power is the information required by OBD-II services, and four UDS services that must remain unlocked.We'll see how the aftermarket manages UDS, and how quickly other providers can unwrap the proprietary information the OEMs use, or else find a way into it. For now, we say goodbye to OBD-II. In four months it becomes Abandoned History, and part of a period that has already been determined as the Golden Era of the automobile.[Images: Ford, Honda, GM, Rivian, BMW, Toyota, Infiniti]Become a TTAC insider. 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