Access to technical information more important than ever – IGA

Statistics published in Catapult’s Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles report show that 71 per cent of new vehicles registered in the UK in 2019 had connectivity features. With the ending of Block Exemption on the horizon for 2023, vehicle manufacturers could restrict access to vehicle data for the independent garage sector, limiting consumer choice for their service and repairs.

“The growth of in-vehicle data in connected cars means that access to technical information remains crucial to the independent sector” stated Frank Harvey, head of member services for the Independent Garage Association (IGA).

Harvey continued, “We acknowledge that the connected car is a part of modern motoring, but consumers must be free to choose where their vehicles are maintained. To ensure fair competition between franchised and independent garages, protocols must be put in place to allow fair and open access to the data generated. It is therefore vital that vehicle connectivity data is not monopolised by vehicle manufacturers, restricting the consumer choice.”