diff --git a/opendbc/can/parser_pyx.pyx b/opendbc/can/parser_pyx.pyx
index f35995cd72..93d3ccb481 100644
--- a/opendbc/can/parser_pyx.pyx
+++ b/opendbc/can/parser_pyx.pyx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from libcpp.pair cimport pair
 from libcpp.string cimport string
 from libcpp.vector cimport vector
-from libc.stdint cimport uint32_t
+from libc.stdint cimport uint32_t, uintptr_t
 
 from .common cimport CANParser as cpp_CANParser
 from .common cimport dbc_lookup, Msg, DBC, CanData
@@ -67,13 +67,20 @@ cdef class CANParser:
     if self.can:
       del self.can
 
-  def update_strings(self, strings, sendcan=False):
+  def update_strings(self, data, sendcan=False):
+    # If data is a Python nested list, update using the legacy method
+    if not hasattr(data, "get_data_pointer"):
+      return self.update_from_list(data, sendcan)
+
+    # If data is a ParsedCanData object, directly use the underlying C++ vector[CanData]
+    cdef uintptr_t pointer = data.get_data_pointer()
+    can_data = <vector[CanData]*> pointer
+    return self._update(can_data[0], sendcan)
+
+  def update_from_list(self, strings, sendcan=False):
     # input format:
     # [nanos, [[address, data, src], ...]]
     # [[nanos, [[address, data, src], ...], ...]]
-    for address in self.addresses:
-      self.vl_all[address].clear()
-
     cdef vector[CanData] can_data_array
 
     try:
@@ -95,6 +102,12 @@ cdef class CANParser:
     except TypeError:
       raise RuntimeError("invalid parameter")
 
+    return self._update(can_data_array, sendcan)
+
+  cdef _update(self, vector[CanData] &can_data_array, sendcan):
+    for address in self.addresses:
+      self.vl_all[address].clear()
+
     updated_addrs = self.can.update(can_data_array)
     for addr in updated_addrs:
       vl = self.vl[addr]