VFT demands free access to vehicle data

VFT demands free access to vehicle data

BY PHILIPP BEDNAR

Anyone who has attended the numerous industry events in the last few weeks will have noticed that the diesel scandal is hardly an issue anymore, but that digitalization and data sovereignty determine everything. The data will also be in the spotlight at the second open association conference of the VFT. Bernhard Dworak, chairman of the VFT, stated the central concern in the opening speech: “We demand and need equal access to vehicle data as the manufacturer in order to be able to deliver repairs and parts.” The fear: If only the vehicle manufacturers had sole sovereignty over the vehicle data, independent, brand-independent workshops and parts dealers would not be able to compete with the respective manufacturer. Walter Birner, deputy chairman, puts it in a nutshell: “Whoever has the data does the business!” Despite the harsh, clear words, the 50 or so participants are rather calm. Birner gives further key data that should illustrate the immense importance that data has in the automotive industry and the aftermarket: certain BMW models have already collected around 7,000 pieces of data. In the future, certain manufacturers would only make half of their annual sales from pure car sales, with 20 percent each coming from workshop business and vehicle data.

“We demand and need equal access to vehicle data as the manufacturer.”Bernhard Dworak, chairman of the VFT

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The future scenarios are not rosy for independent workshops, which is why the VFT is calling for an “Open Telematics Platform” (OTP) on which certain vehicle data should be shared with all market participants. Of course, the breakdown service or the spare parts dealer does not need all the vehicle data, but a certain basic level should be recorded per model and manufacturer in order to give independent workshops and parts dealers the same opportunities as the brand workshops.

If you think about data sovereignty through to the end, it would mean, for example, that workshops without appropriate data access would become dependent on parts producers and manufacturers. Free competition would be curtailed. The fact that these are not empty threat scenarios is underlined by the example of Fiat, whose new 500 allows errors to be read out via the OBD interface, but this requires a code from the manufacturer - and resetting the error memory is not possible.

According to VFT, car manufacturers are lobbying hard at EU level to enforce their sole data sovereignty. Now it is important to mobilize against this plan in order to secure business for free market participants in the future. To do this, says Walter Birner, “you also have to support the VFT and increase the number of members”. Exciting: At the end, the VFT offers its members training opportunities. For example, there is the opportunity to complete certified, recognized training to become a vehicle parts manager in Germany. Only two gentlemen expressed interest. When asked who needs social media marketing support, only one hand goes up.