ACEA in-vehicle data proposal “not in consumers' best interest”

Consumers' interests are not being heeded in the discussion about in-vehicle data. That is the concern of a coalition that includes European associations of car dealers, insurers, aftermarket providers and leasing companies. In particular, they are worried that current proposals would limit consumer choice, as well as competition and innovation. 

The associations uniting European car manufacturers (ACEA) and parts suppliers (CLEPA) recently presented a common proposal for in-vehicle data architecture. This proposal would channel all future communication and data access through the manufacturer's server, with only part of the data sent to a neutral server and accessible for third-party operators. 

The coalition represents sectors that are increasingly reliant on in-vehicle data. It believes this proposal undermines vehicle owners' rights to determine whom to share their data with – as well as threatens competition, innovation and consumer choice. 

Instead, the coalition asks the EU to create the circumstances for an in-vehicle, interoperable, standardised, secure and open-access platform. This would be as safe and secure as the ACEA/CLEPA alternative, but provide safeguards for competition, innovation and choice. 

Image: Shuets Udono, CC BY-SA 2.0