Independent vehicle inspections need non-discriminatory access to relevant data

Sovereign and independent vehicle inspections need non-discriminatory access to safety- and emission-relevant data to guarantee whole life vehicle compliance.

This article by Gerhard Müller, International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee (CITA), originally appeared in the European Transport Regulation Observer, “Making use in the public interest of data generated by connected vehicles” (December 2024).

The 14^th Florence Intermodal Forum brought together key stakeholders to discuss road safety and the utilisation of data generated by connected vehicles for the public good. The event centred around critical questions regarding how vehicle data can be harnessed to enhance road safety across Europe.

The Commission recently published figures on road fatalities for 2023, which show stalling progress in reducing road fatalities in too many European countries. Around 20,400 people were killed in road crashes in the EU last year, a small 1% decrease compared to 2022. Despite some progress since the baseline year of 2019, few Member States are on track to meet the target of halving the number of road deaths by 2030.

These figures very impressively demonstrate how great the need for action is. In addition, sustainability has become even more important in recent times. Climate change is evident all over the world and pollutant limits are being exceeded far too often, especially in urban areas. Road traffic plays an essential role in this context.

Digitalisation, automation and emission-free powertrains are very promising to make road traffic safer and more sustainable.

Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 introduced safety technologies as compulsory safety features that all new vehicles must be equipped with. These driving assistance systems aim to reduce the number of deaths by 25,000 and severe injuries by 140,000 by 2037.

Highly complex emission after-treatment systems for vehicles with combustion engines, and alternative powertrains, e.g. electric and hydrogen vehicles, are needed to significantly minimise road transport pollution. At the same time, these new technologies create new risks that we must quickly learn to manage.

Only if vehicle testing and inspection methods keep pace with the development of new technologies can we manage risks, detect manipulations and maintain a high level of road safety and environmental protection throughout the life of a vehicle. Fair access to original vehicle data within the framework of sovereign and independent vehicle inspection is an indispensable prerequisite. Data are crucial to evaluate both safety and emission behaviour in vehicles, which are critical to the development of safer and more environmentally responsible transport systems.

Legislators around the world are therefore called on to create a legal framework for this as quickly as possible to clarify the following key issues regarding data:

• Ownership of data

Generally, drivers should own the data generated by their vehicles, not OEMs. This distinction is important as it reflects a need for clear frameworks to protect the rights of drivers while ensuring responsible use of data in public safety initiatives.

• A Trust Centre for non-discriminatory access to vehicle data for sovereign activities

Sovereign and independent vehicle inspections require access to original in-vehicle data to guarantee road safety and consumer protection. The Trust Centre concept separates duties between identification and authorisation of data users (Trust Centre) and processing data to authorised users (Data trustee server).

• Coherent legislation across Europe

There is a call for at least EU-wide legislation to govern these developments, noting that national-level legislation would be insufficient. With vehicles crossing borders and new technologies rapidly evolving, a unified European approach is necessary to create consistent standards across the EU.

• Improving competitiveness

There is a need to balance competitiveness with safety. The better the automated functions of vehicles are and the safer European vehicles become, the more competitive they will be on the global market. By focusing on safety improvements, European vehicles can not only protect their users but also maintain a strong competitive edge.

• European legislation must become more flexible and more quickly

The response of European legislation to the fast pace of technological advances in modern vehicles must become more flexible and quicker. The automotive industry is evolving rapidly, and legislation needs to keep up to ensure safety while fostering innovation.

The current revision of the roadworthiness package must take these requirements into account. Sovereign and independent vehicle inspections must be enabled to keep pace with the development of automated and connected road transport to guarantee safe and clean vehicles over the whole life cycle, also in the future.