Release the handbrake!
End delays to legislative proposal on access to in-vehicle data and unleash
Europe’s data-driven mobility markets

A vast majority of the automotive and mobility services ecosystem together with consumers
urge the European Commission to urgently propose an effective sector-specific legislation on
access to in-vehicle data

Brussels, 24 January 2023

The Independent Service Providers (ISPs) grouping have written to President von der Leyen and the
relevant College of Commissioners to put an end to the repeated delays in proposing legislation on access
to in-vehicle data, functions and resources. Doing so would unleash the untapped potential to create real
competition in Europe’s data-driven automotive and mobility markets.
The ISP Group commented:
“The Commission committed to bringing forward access to in-vehicle data legislation in December
2020 by the end of 2021. We’re now in 2023 and the proposal has been delayed yet again. Despite
six years of painstaking Commission evidence-gathering and previous strategic policy plans, the vast
majority of the sector are left in limbo and investment decisions are delayed in the face of substantial
market barriers that benefit just one segment of a potentially huge market.
We urge the Commission President to get this process back on track. This legislation is vital to unblock
the automotive and mobility services sector market. Almost every European uses some form of
mobility every day and they should be able to enjoy the benefits of data-driven innovation, choice
and affordability in the automotive and mobility ecosystem. Today they can’t. The Commission must
rectify this.”
The Commission has a rich history of market-enabling legislation from telecoms to aviation, rail and
energy. The recent series of legislative measures part of the European Data Strategy addresses significant
market distortions that will enable a more vibrant and competitive European Internet economy that is not
captive to a few dominant players. Yet, it seems completely anomalous that, despite all the evidence
gathered over the last six years, the European automotive and mobility ecosystem continues to face all
the same market barriers and distortions that the EU itself has addressed in the wider EU Data Strategy
series of regulations for the Internet economy, including the increasing dependency on the technology
platforms of the hyperscalers.
The undersigned associations urge the Commission to get the regulatory process for a sector-specific
regulation on ‘access to in-vehicle data & resources’ back on track immediately so that there is time for
the co-legislators to scrutinise and adopt the text before the end of the Parliamentary term in May 2024.

Background
The Independent Service Providers (ISPs) grouping represents a wide range of operators in the European
automotive aftermarket and mobility service providers who are investing in the development of digitalised
services and data-driven innovation. However, the ISPs are currently hampered by the restricted access
to data that stems from the privileged access by-design system built into the car that confers a dominant
position and competitive advantage to the vehicle manufacturers. This deprives the European mobility
consumer and business user of greater choice through innovation and affordable mobility and aftermarket
services. This, in turn, jeopardises European competitiveness and other political objectives, such as
greater access to safer, smarter and more sustainable mobility services.
Digital services in vehicles and everyday mobility are rich in potential and can actively support and
accelerate the whole EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility agenda. However, they are developing more
slowly than they should in Europe because up until now, vehicle manufacturers have privileged control
of the data generated by the vehicles they sell – but do not own – to the detriment of the vehicle owner.
This advantage is compounded by the increasing dependency on the technology platforms of the
hyperscalers. Such platforms are regulated by the EU Data Strategy series of regulations for the
mainstream Internet economy, but not in the vehicle, despite their rapidly growing role in this sector in
partnership with vehicle manufacturers.