ExVe study: huge economic loss to aftermarket

The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has welcomed a new study showing evidence that the Extended Vehicle (ExVe) concept could potentially lead to €65 billion losses as early as 2030, affecting both the independent aftermarket and motorists.

The European study assessed the long-term economic consequences of current closed data access models promoted by vehicle manufacturers. In particular, it stressed that the negative impact of such models on independent aftermarket service providers will allow for VMs to further integrate themselves into the aftermarket, in turn giving them a stronger foothold over relations with motorists.

This would ultimately reduce consumer choice and competition in the aftermarket, gradually increasing costs and by 2030, would result in €33 billion losses for European independent automotive aftermarket operators and €32 billion in additional costs for motorists.

Wendy Williamson, IAAF chief executive, said: “Harming aftermarket businesses and motorists to such an extent is simply not acceptable and will require all possible legislative measures to guarantee safe, secure, direct and real-time access to in-vehicle data, and to ensure benefits to consumers, as well as competition and innovation in digital services ‘around the car.”

Proprietary data access models, where VMs have privileged access to vehicles and third parties can only access in-vehicle data via an external backend server under the manufacturers’ governance have raised concerns among consumers, independent businesses and the European Commission over the last few years.

This recent study also echoes the test study released in November 2018 by AFCAR, the Alliance for the Freedom of Car Repair in Europe, which pointed to several technical and commercial limitations brought about by the ExVe concept. However, it also highlighted a number of VMs developing their own open-telematics platform, accessible only to chosen third parties, which would deal a severe blow to the aftermarket.