ACEA welcomes Communication on Europe’s data economy

Brussels, 10 January 2017 – The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) welcomes the European Commission’s Communication on Europe’s data economy, published today in the framework of the EU’s Digital Single Market Strategy.

Although this Communication is not sector-specific, it focuses on connected and automated driving as a case study on the implications of access to data.

“It is important to remember that a vehicle is not a smartphone on wheels,” stated ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert. “It is a means of transport, the primary function of which is to bring people and goods from one place to another. It requires much higher standards in safety, security and privacy compared with smartphones or other consumer devices. It is the vehicle manufacturer’s responsibility that the vehicle operates in a safe and secure manner. We therefore particularly welcome the Communication’s references to the need for clear rules on access to data, as well as security, privacy and liability concerns.”

Indeed, automobile manufacturers and suppliers are already taking the lead by developing a solution to provide safe and secure access to vehicle data. This would involve vehicle manufacturers communicating the relevant data in a secure manner between the vehicle and an off-board facility, from where market participants can access it. This would provide an open but secure interface for the provision of third-party services. In addition to an external server managed by the vehicle manufacturer, one or more neutral servers should be installed to offer service providers an alternative access method, ensuring their identity is not disclosed to the vehicle manufacturer and that customer data privacy rights are observed.

ACEA looks forward to sharing further specifics and experiences of the automobile sector in this regard, and to contributing constructively to the consultation process. We are pleased to note that the Commission will not regulate data access for specific sectors, before having drawn conclusions from this fundamental debate.

For more information see joint ACEA/CLEPA press release, ‘Automotive industry joins forces on access to vehicle data’,  and ACEA’s position paper, ‘Access to vehicle data for third-party services’.


About ACEA

  • The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the 14 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, JLR, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo Group.
  • Visit www.acea.auto for more information about ACEA, and follow us on www.twitter.com/ACEA_auto or www.linkedin.com/company/ACEA/.

Contact:

  • Cara McLaughlin, Communications Director, cm@acea.auto, +32 485 88 66 47.
  • Ben Kennard, Content Editor and Press Manager, bk@acea.auto, +32 487 39 21 82

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About the EU automobile industry

  • 13.0 million Europeans work in the automotive sector
  • 11.5% of all manufacturing jobs in the EU
  • €374.6 billion in tax revenue for European governments
  • €101.9 billion trade surplus for the European Union
  • Over 7% of EU GDP generated by the auto industry
  • €59.1 billion in R&D spending annually, 31% of EU total
Content type Press release
Vehicle types All vehicles
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