diff --git a/can/io/asc.py b/can/io/asc.py
index 2e25e5c2c..5bc19c0b0 100644
--- a/can/io/asc.py
+++ b/can/io/asc.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 """
 
 from datetime import datetime
+import re
 import time
 import logging
 
@@ -18,8 +19,15 @@
 from .generic import BaseIOHandler
 
 
+class ASCParseError(Exception):
+    """ASC file could not be parsed correctly."""
+
+
+BASES = {"dec": 10, "hex": 16}
 CAN_MSG_EXT = 0x80000000
 CAN_ID_MASK = 0x1FFFFFFF
+BEGIN_TRIGGERBLOCK = "Begin Triggerblock"
+MAX_HEADER_ROW_LENGTH = 10  # TODO Just guessing here, is there an actual max row length of asc header?
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("can.io.asc")
 
@@ -38,15 +46,32 @@ def __init__(self, file):
                      read mode, not binary read mode.
         """
         super().__init__(file, mode="r")
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _extract_can_id(str_can_id):
+        self.base = 16
+        self.absolute_timestamps = False
+        self._parse_header()
+
+    def _parse_header(self):
+        """Parse the header for information about base and timestamps."""
+        base_regex = r"base\s+(?P<base>\w+)\s+timestamps\s+(?P<timestamps>\w+)"
+        for _ in range(MAX_HEADER_ROW_LENGTH):
+            line = self.file.readline()
+            if line.startswith(BEGIN_TRIGGERBLOCK):
+                break  # Header end
+            m = re.search(base_regex, line)
+            if m:
+                base = m.group("base")
+                if base not in BASES:
+                    raise ValueError("Support for base %s not implemented" % base)
+                self.base = BASES[base]
+                self.absolute_timestamps = m.group("timestamps") == "absolute"
+
+    def _extract_can_id(self, str_can_id):
         if str_can_id[-1:].lower() == "x":
             is_extended = True
-            can_id = int(str_can_id[0:-1], 16)
+            can_id = int(str_can_id[0:-1], self.base)
         else:
             is_extended = False
-            can_id = int(str_can_id, 16)
+            can_id = int(str_can_id, self.base)
         return can_id, is_extended
 
     def __iter__(self):
@@ -108,7 +133,7 @@ def __iter__(self):
                 frame = bytearray()
                 data = data.split()
                 for byte in data[0:dlc]:
-                    frame.append(int(byte, 16))
+                    frame.append(int(byte, self.base))
 
                 can_id_num, is_extended_id = self._extract_can_id(can_id_str)