ETRMA renews call for “regulatory framework” for in-vehicle data access

Brussels – The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has renewed its call for an EU-wide regulatory framework for access to in-vehicle data.

The call came as part of a petition by the independent service providers (ISPs) coalition to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The document urged Brussels regulators to take “prompt action” in adopting “a sector specific legislative proposal regarding access to in-vehicle data.”

The tire industry, said ETRMA secretary general Adam McCarthy, is “already developing data-driven applications with tangible benefits for road-safety and environmental performance."

However, he warned, in the absence of an EU framework, fragmented approaches to data-sharing could delay the deployment of connected and automated-driving across the region.

What is at stake, said ETRMA in a 20 Dec statement, is “fair access to in-vehicle data, enabling the continuity of offers and the deployment of new business models.”

“Vehicles on the market in the next five years are being designed now," said McCarthy. "It is increasingly uncertain that all the necessary vehicle data will be made available on new models."

Indeed, ETRMA said it is currently observing that on-board diagnostics (OBD) ports, the only entry-point currently accessible by third parties in vehicles, are gradually being closed.

The situation is further compounded by “layered obligations” to meet: cybersecurity requirements; comply with the high-risk artificial intelligence principles; and ensure protection of users’ personal data.

According to ETRMA, some stakeholders suggest indirect means of accessing in-vehicle data, such as cloud-based solutions, as the way to preserve vehicle’s cybersecurity.

However, the association believes that indirect in-vehicle data access alone restricts TaaS (tire-as-a-service) capabilities, potentially “stifling all present and potential innovation.”

Restrictions of indirect access, continued ETRMA, also include:

• Limited data-sets available, with access mostly controlled and monitored by the vehicle maker;
• Insufficient real-time or high-frequency data access;
• No direct bi-directional communication with the driver.

On the issue of cybersecurity, the association said there is no evidence that a cloud-based solution would be more secure than in-vehicle local access.

Furthermore, it noted, EU standards would secure the in-vehicle access for certified and authorised parties in the context of an independent cybersecurity governance.

To conclude, ETRMA’s recommended that a “robust EU legal framework” be established to enable access in-vehicle data.

The EU should also allow fair competition for all actors in the mobility ecosystem, ETRMA insisted.

This should involve a “clear requirement of separation of duties for the role of OEM as vehicle manufacturer and mobility service provider”.