The proposed EU legislation on Vehicle Type-Approval Regulation has welcomed the idea of provisions on the OBD connector and access to RMI. This has the potential of a massive step forward for the aftermarket regarding access to in-vehicle data.
COREPER, EU Council’s main preparatory body admitted that there is a need for the independent automotive market to maintain access to diagnostic and RMI-related data. FIGIEFA wants to make sure that this still remains possible and the EU Council will address the issue this year.
FIGIEFA president, Hartmut Rohl, said that the “automotive aftermarket and mobility services industries account for more than 500,000 companies employing more than 4.3 million people across Europe and offering services to 284 million vehicle owners and business operators alike.”
The biggest concern regarding the RMI was its format that obstructs the repair process, causing losses in terms of time and efficiency. The new legislation aims to make it clear that RMI and spare parts identification information should be provided in a machine readable and electronically processable form.
The aftermarket access to in-vehicle data will increase the competition between the automotive services and will offer motorists freedom of choice in how to take care of their vehicles.
Wendy Williams, IAAF Chief Executive, commented on this news: “The missing OBD connector would impact not just on garages but the entire spare parts supply chain including manufacturers, distributors, producers of diagnostic equipment and dedicated software for the OBD connector, as well as millions of consumers who would no longer have a competitive choice in vehicle servicing and repair. This positive step marks the next stage in our fight and we’ll keep lobbying until we successfully reach that end game.”
The agreement is now on its way to EP IMCO Committee that needs to approve of it before its final submission. If the European Parliament agrees with the new regulation then it will come into play starting with September 2020.
