The Role of Data Centricity in Smart , Connected Systems
that pass the filter ) to each subscribing node . By not sending unqualified samples , it reduces application complexity , conserves network bandwidth , and saves Publisher CPU cycles .
Another data-centric design feature is the ability of DDS to handle extended datatypes . When a datatype is declared to be an extension of a base type , Subscribers can robustly handle new samples with fields unknown to them , without crashing or misinterpreting the new data . The new fields are simply ignored , and legacy behavior continues as before .
This is particularly useful for systems that require future-forward flexibility . Since evolving a complex system over time is commonplace and systems often need to be gradually updated in the field , the extended datatypes feature can radically improve an engineer ’ s ability to work in real-world design and deployment scenarios .
The following table compares DDS to a Message-Centric ( Opaque Messaging ) approach . Attribute Message-Centric Data-Centric
Byte efficiency
Poor : Each sample must be selfdescribing requiring redundant dataflow
Ideal : Only binary data needs to flow , as the format / meaning was already exchanged during Discovery
Coupling
Poor : Requires adding a subscriber , as well as recoding the publisher
Ideal : Just add a subscriber to the needed Topic ( s )
Ease of Programming
Poor : Requires dealing with addressing , as well as filtering with bespoke application code
Ideal : The architecture enables the framework to handle addressing and filtering seamlessly
Table 4-1 : Comparing DDS to a message-centric approach . ( Source : Real-Time Innovations ( RTI ), 2024 )
5 EXAMPLES
This section briefly describes a few key industry use cases that leverage DDS . In addition , the OMG ® DDS Foundation maintains a broad library of use cases with additional detail .
5.1 SOFTWARE-DEFINED VEHICLES
Automotive manufacturers are turning to DDS to achieve robust , scalable , and real-time data exchange that is critical for the next generation of connected and autonomous vehicles . A DDSenabled , data-centric Publish / Subscribe architecture facilitates seamless communication between sensors , control units , and actuators within the vehicle . Sample applications include Zonal architectures , High Performance Compute , Digital Cockpit , and Testing and Simulation . For example , DDS ensures that sensor data from LiDAR , cameras and radar is distributed in real-time to various subsystems like perception , decision-making , and motion control . Low-latency , high-
8 February 2025