<s>
VCDS	B-Operating_System
(	O
an	O
abbreviation	O
for	O
"	O
VAG-COM	B-Operating_System
Diagnostic	O
System	O
"	O
and	O
formerly	O
known	O
as	O
VAG-COM	B-Operating_System
)	O
is	O
a	O
Microsoft	O
Windows-based	O
software	O
package	O
,	O
developed	O
and	O
produced	O
by	O
Ross-Tech	O
,	O
LLC	O
since	O
May	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
primarily	O
used	O
for	O
diagnostics	O
and	O
adjustments	O
of	O
Volkswagen	O
Group	O
motor	O
vehicles	O
,	O
including	O
Volkswagen	O
Passenger	O
Cars	O
,	O
Audi	O
,	O
Bentley	O
(	O
limited	O
)	O
,	O
Lamborghini	B-Device
(	O
limited	O
)	O
,	O
SEAT	O
,	O
and	O
Škoda	O
automobiles	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
Volkswagen	O
Commercial	O
Vehicles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VCDS	B-Operating_System
will	O
perform	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
functions	O
of	O
the	O
expensive	O
electronic	O
diagnostic	O
tools	O
available	O
only	O
to	O
official	O
dealers	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
current	O
VAS505x	O
series	O
diagnostic	O
tools	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
past	O
,	O
these	O
dealership-only	O
tools	O
have	O
prevented	O
owners	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
small	O
independent	O
repair	O
shops	O
from	O
performing	O
some	O
fundamental	O
tasks	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
diagnosing	O
problems	O
,	O
diesel	O
ignition	O
timing	O
,	O
modification	O
of	O
convenience	O
options	O
such	O
as	O
automatic	O
door	O
unlocking	O
,	O
coding	O
a	O
replacement	O
electronic	B-Device
control	I-Device
unit	I-Device
(	O
ECU	O
)	O
or	O
key	O
to	O
the	O
vehicle	O
,	O
and	O
monitoring	O
of	O
many	O
vehicle	O
sensors	O
for	O
diagnosing	O
problems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
generic	O
on-board	O
diagnostics	O
(	O
OBD-II	O
or	O
EOBD	O
)	O
,	O
VCDS	B-Operating_System
uses	O
the	O
more	O
in-depth	O
Volkswagen	O
Group-specific	O
manufacturer	O
protocol	O
commands	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
access	O
all	O
diagnostic	O
capable	O
vehicle	O
systems	O
—	O
even	O
in	O
vehicles	O
which	O
are	O
not	O
covered	O
by	O
generic	O
OBD-II/EOBD	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
general	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
two	O
ways	O
to	O
use	O
this	O
software	O
,	O
either	O
as	O
a	O
package	O
(	O
software	O
and	O
hardware	O
)	O
distributed	O
by	O
the	O
manufacturer	O
or	O
their	O
agents	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
by	O
building	O
your	O
own	O
interface	O
hardware	O
and	O
using	O
it	O
with	O
the	O
publicly	O
available	O
but	O
limited	O
shareware	B-License
version	O
of	O
the	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VCDS	B-Operating_System
is	O
also	O
capable	O
of	O
interfacing	O
vehicles	O
which	O
use	O
the	O
generic	O
OBD-II/EOBD	O
protocols	O
.	O
</s>
