A unique and broad alliance of consumer groups, automotive suppliers, leasing and rental industries, aftermarket operators, vehicle dealers, authorised and independent workshops, data publishers, and insurers have joined forces to call on Commissioner Thierry Breton to urgently bring forward long-planned legislation on access to in-vehicle data, functions & resources.

 

Pro-consumer and pro-competitive legislation is essential to kick-start the development of a vibrant, innovative and competitive European market for Connected Car services, said the alliance. The Commission itself estimates this market could be worth €400bn globally by 2030.

 

Representing some 80% of the jobs and economic value of the European automotive and mobility eco-system, consumer and business leaders are calling on Commissioner Breton to act on the conclusive evidence gathered over the last seven years by his own officials.

 

This comprehensive analysis has revealed a significant hurdle to achieving fair and equal access to vehicle-generated data, which gives vehicle manufacturers an almost insurmountable advantage due to the design of the vehicle. In addition to this systemic barrier, the body of work has identified the presence of additional structural and behavioural obstacles, which only serve to compound the issue. It also warns that this problem is likely to be further intensified by the increasing involvement of Hyperscalers, who are partnering with manufacturers to embed themselves more deeply in the vehicle.

 

The Commission originally scheduled this legislation for adoption in 2021 and the Commission’s proposal for the Data Act itself re-stated the need for sector-specific legislation to address these issues.[1][2]  The alliance urges Commissioner Breton to come forward with legally-binding sector-specific legislation by the Autumn of this year, at the very latest.

 

 

[1] Actions 52 and 53 in Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track for the future, COM (2020) 789 final, Annex, page 3.

[2] “…new rules are needed to ensure that existing vehicle type-approval legislation is fit for the digital age and promotes the development of clean, connected and automated vehicles. Building on the Data Act as a framework for the access and use of data, these rules will address sector-specific challenges, including access to vehicle functions and resources.” Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Act), COM (2022) 68 final, page 6.

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