A German motorcyclist association, the Deutsche Motorradfahrer-Vereinigung (DMV), was founded on May 24, 1903, at the Hotel Silber in Stuttgart. A separate automobile club, the Deutscher Automobilclub (DAC), had existed since 1899 and held recognition from Kaiser Wilhelm II, becoming the Kaiserlicher Automobil-Club (KAC) in 1905 and known since 1918 as the Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD). Because motorcycles were cheaper than cars and more widely owned, the DMV quickly outgrew the automobile clubs in membership. In 1911, following substantial growth in car ownership and club membership, the DMV renamed itself the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club.
The ADAC launched its roadside assistance service in 1927 under the name ADAC-Straßen-Hilfsdienst, using sidecar motorcycles. During the Nazi period after 1933, all German motoring organisations were amalgamated under the DDAC umbrella as part of Gleichschaltung. After the war, business activities resumed in 1946 and breakdown assistance was revived in 1954 under the name ADAC Straßenwacht. The first fifty-six ADAC patrolmen were equipped with NSU Konsul motorcycle-and-sidecar combinations. By the end of 1962 those had been replaced by Volkswagen Beetles specially fitted with flashing roof lights, repair tools, radio communication, compressed air canisters, and a basic first-aid kit. These patrol vehicles acquired the nickname "Gelber Engel" — Yellow Angels.
Membership growth accelerated sharply through reunification. In 1974 the ADAC had 3.8 million members against a national car fleet of 19.0 million vehicles; by 1990 membership had reached 10.2 million while 35.5 million cars were registered, meaning ADAC membership grew more than twice as fast as national car ownership. In May 2012 the organisation welcomed its 18 millionth member, and in May 2013 it equipped its 10,000th roadside assistance vehicle — a Volkswagen Touran — with tools and replacement parts.
Roadside assistance has been the ADAC's primary and most visible service since 1927. As of 2007 the ADAC operated more than 1,700 yellow patrol vehicles. In 2021, road patrols and ADAC mobility partners were dispatched in 3.5 million cases, with battery failure the most common cause of breakdowns. Members can request assistance by phone, internet, or smartphone app.
ADAC Luftrettung (ADAC Air Rescue) operates the largest fleet of ambulance helicopters in Germany. As of 2020 the division ran 55 air ambulance helicopters, strategically positioned so any location in Germany can be reached within 15 minutes. As of 2022 ADAC Luftrettung is the largest civilian rotor-wing air medical organisation in the country. The ADAC also holds shares in Aero-Dienst to operate fixed-wing ambulance aircraft for mid-range medical repatriation, and provides air ambulance jets for members abroad.
Both the ADAC and the older Automobilclub von Deutschland are members of the FIA and the DMSB. The ADAC has organised or hosted a substantial portfolio of German motorsport events, including the European Grand Prix, the historic ADAC Eifelrennen, and the 24 Hours Nürburgring. In June 2008 the ADAC suspended its FIA involvement in protest over the Max Mosley scandal and his subsequent re-election as FIA president.
The ADAC Stiftung Sport, established in 1998, is a foundation dedicated to promoting and developing German racing talent. Young drivers identified as having potential are provided with expert coaching, partner support, and financial backing. The foundation also funds motorsport safety initiatives and supports non-professional drivers injured in accidents.
The ADAC established a technical centre at Landsberg am Lech near Munich in 1997. Regular test programmes cover cars, tyres, child restraint systems, pedelecs, safety helmets, and accessories. The facility is recognised by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority and is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. The ADAC is also an active member of the European Road Assessment Program (EuroRAP) in Germany, publishing safety star ratings for German roads using the EuroRAP Road Protection Score Protocol.
In 2014 two significant scandals emerged. An ADAC insider revealed that the organisation's published tyre tests had been manipulated, with sympathetic manufacturers tipped off about which models would be tested and under what conditions. Separately, it was revealed that the "Yellow Angel" audience award for Germany's Favourite Car — presented publicly as a membership vote — had in fact been awarded at the ADAC's own discretion since at least 2009, with rankings manipulated almost every year. Major manufacturers including BMW, Volkswagen, and Daimler returned their prizes as worthless. An audit firm found insufficient data to clear elections held before 2009. The Munich District Court subsequently confirmed the ADAC's association legal status in 2017 but the ADAC restructured its commercial activities into ADAC SE, a separate stock corporation.
The ADAC publishes ADAC Motorwelt, one of Germany's largest magazines, distributed to members four times a year. The club is among Germany's most influential advocacy organisations and one of the largest lobbying associations worldwide. It has long opposed a general speed limit on German motorways, citing motorway safety statistics, though by 2020 it had ceased making active recommendations against such a limit. The ADAC Stiftung "Gelber Engel" foundation, established in 2007 and registered as a non-profit company in 2013, financially supports survivors of road accidents and funds accident rescue and research.