ASQMS vs. ASPICE: Competitors or complementary synergy?

You are reading part 2 of our series of articles on ASQMS (Automotive Software Quality Management System).

• Part 1: ASQMS – Software quality standard from China
• Part 2: ASQMS vs. ASPICE: Competitors or complementary synergy?
• Part 3: ASQMS readiness: How to position yourself successfully in global competition (coming soon)

ASPICE has been established for years, while ASQMS is new and mandatory for the Chinese market. But how do the two standards differ in concrete terms? And above all: Do companies have to choose between them, or can they benefit from combining both approaches? A technical comparison highlights the differences, similarities, and potential for synergy.

An overview of the key differences

• Assessment approach:
  ASPICE conducts assessments for individual projects and evaluates their process maturity. ASQMS audits the entire organization, including its projects, and issues a conformity certification.
   
• Geographical scope:
  ASPICE is applicable worldwide and is internationally accepted. ASQMS is primarily mandatory in China, especially for suppliers to Chinese OEMs. With ASQMS Deutschland GmbH, the standard is now also being adapted for the European region.
   
• Renewal requirement:
  ASPICE assessments do not need to be renewed—once a maturity level has been achieved, it remains in place. ASQMS certifications, on the other hand, must be renewed every two to three years.
   
• Focus leve:
  ASPICE focuses on the project level and evaluates individual development programs. ASQMS focuses on the organizational level and is maintained through continuous improvement processes.
   
• Risk-based approach:
  ASQMS distinguishes between different risk profiles (Type I to IV), thus enabling customized process scopes. ASPICE applies uniform process requirements regardless of the risk level.

Why ASPICE is generally more complex

ASPICE is often perceived as more time-consuming. There are three main reasons for this:

1. Project-based process assessment:
   ASPICE requires the implementation and verification of each process for each individual project, including individual maturity assessments. This leads to considerable repetition and extensive documentation per project.
    
2. More extensive artifacts:
   To achieve higher maturity levels, numerous in-depth work products must be created—detailed plans, designs, verification evidence—even for less critical software. Implementation also varies from project to project.
    
3. Limited flexibility:
   ASPICE does not distinguish between risk classes. Every project must fulfill the same complete process scope, which can lead to inefficiencies in simple software projects.

Synergy instead of competition

The good news is that ASQMS does not replace ASPICE, but rather complements it. Both standards address different aspects of software quality and can be combined.

ASPICE provides detailed process models and best practices for development. It shows specifically how development processes can be structured and improved.

ASQMS creates the organizational framework and governance structures for systematic quality management. It ensures that best practices, lessons learned, and knowledge management work across project boundaries.

Companies that integrate both standards benefit from a coherent approach: ASPICE for process excellence at the project level, ASQMS for organizational anchoring and continuous improvement. Systematic mapping between the two standards identifies overlaps and avoids redundancies.

ASQMS Germany: European Perspective

With the founding of ASQMS Deutschland GmbH, the standard is being made available for use on the European market. The aim is to synchronize it with the Chinese standard while adapting it to European requirements and standards such as ISO 26262 and IATF 16949.

For European companies, this means that those who integrate both standards at an early stage will be optimally positioned for global cooperation.

Outlook

How can this be implemented in practice? In the third part of our series, we provide specific recommendations for implementing ASQMS and show you how to successfully position yourself in the global marketplace.

References

• Publication of the ASQMS standard by the China Association of Consumer Products Quality and Safety Promotion (CACPQSP), 2023
• Information on production figures and market volume of the Chinese automotive industry (including industry reports and public statistics from national automotive associations)
• Public documentation and specialist publications on Automotive SPICE (ASPICE), IATF 16949, ISO 26262, and accompanying literature on software quality management in the automotive industry.
• Announcements and information material from ASQMS Deutschland GmbH on the planned adaptation of the standard for the European market