TomTom has introduced a new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Software Development Kit (SDK), offering automakers and Tier 1 suppliers a flexible, modular solution for delivering predictive driver assistance features. Built as a standalone toolkit, the ADAS SDK is designed to provide high-quality map data tailored specifically for ADAS use cases, supporting the growing shift toward software-defined vehicles and higher levels of vehicle automation.
As the automotive industry moves rapidly toward Level 2+ driver assistance and beyond, manufacturers are under pressure to scale advanced features efficiently across different vehicle models and global markets. This transition often comes with high development costs and complex integration challenges. TomTom’s ADAS SDK aims to address these issues by providing a scalable and cost-effective solution that simplifies deployment while maintaining performance and reliability.
The SDK acts as a direct interface to TomTom’s Orbis map data, offering OEMs a ready-to-integrate foundation for building safety, comfort, and efficiency features into vehicle control systems. By reducing the need for extensive custom development and minimizing integration complexity, the solution helps shorten development cycles and lower overall costs. This allows manufacturers to focus more on innovation and differentiation rather than underlying infrastructure.
In addition to supporting advanced functionality, the ADAS SDK is designed to help manufacturers meet evolving regulatory and safety requirements. As automakers expand into new regions, they must comply with increasingly stringent standards, such as intelligent speed assistance (ISA) mandates and Euro NCAP safety protocols. The SDK provides a streamlined, out-of-the-box approach to meeting these requirements, eliminating much of the integration overhead associated with full navigation systems. This enables faster vehicle certification processes and supports improved safety ratings.
At the core of the SDK is TomTom’s Orbis map data, which is used to generate a highly detailed predictive driving path. This path is enriched with critical road attributes, including speed limits, lane topology, curvature, gradients, and traffic sign information. These insights allow vehicles to better understand what lies ahead and adapt accordingly. Advanced horizon capabilities further enhance this by enabling vehicles to calculate the most probable driving path and anticipate upcoming road conditions.
Such predictive intelligence supports a wide range of applications, including adaptive headlights, early hazard warnings, and more accurate lane-keeping assistance. For electric vehicles, the benefits are particularly significant. By leveraging detailed road gradient data and statistical speed profiles, the SDK enables predictive powertrain management. This allows EVs to optimize energy usage based on the road ahead, helping to improve overall efficiency and extend driving range.
Commenting on the launch, Manuela Locarno Ajayi, Senior Vice President of Product Engineering at TomTom, emphasized the importance of anticipation in automated driving. She noted that while perception remains critical, a vehicle’s ability to understand and predict the road ahead is equally vital. According to Ajayi, the ADAS SDK offers a ready-made solution that enables automakers to build advanced automated driving features quickly and cost-effectively, accelerating progress toward higher levels of vehicle automation.
With this launch, TomTom positions its ADAS SDK as a key enabler for the next generation of intelligent, efficient, and compliant driver assistance systems.
