12/09/2025
Right to repair: Data Act enters into force, Commission publishes guidelines on vehicle data
Paola Zaccheroni
12 September 2025 is an important date for the digital transition in Europe: the Data Act, the legislation establishing the fundamental principles for sharing and accessing data generated by IoT devices, came into force. At the same time, the European Commission published specific guidelines for the automotive industry, aimed at manufacturers, after-sales service providers, data publishers and other stakeholders involved.
The Data Act aims to guarantee users the right to the data generated by their devices, ensuring that they can share it with third parties of their choice. In the automotive context, this translates into fair and transparent access to vehicle-generated data and technical maintenance and repair information.
After years of technical study, international debate, controversy and delays, European independent aftermarket associations welcome the result achieved, which is essential for supporting competition and innovation in the market for independent manufacturers and operators of after-sales goods and services.
The fundamental principle of the legislation establishes that data intended to be accessible to the manufacturer must also be accessible, with the same quality and timeliness, to third parties chosen by the user, whether it is raw data or data processed to be readable and usable for applications or further processing.
In addition, the Commission anticipates that further guidelines will be published defining transparent criteria for determining the fair remuneration due to manufacturers for the data supply service.
The Data Act and the Guidance on Vehicle Data document represent a decisive step for the aftermarket sector, as they remove barriers that were hindering its growth. In a more open and regulated ecosystem, competition will stimulate the development of innovative and competitive services, benefiting the entire market.
Simplification is not deregulation
This is an important milestone, but not a definitive one: there is still a long way to go towards a truly fair and dynamic automotive data market. The Independent Service Providers Associations (ISPs) are well aware of this and will continue to focus on the points that still need to be clarified: firstly, while agreeing in principle with administrative simplification, the ISPs warn against calls to transform the Data Act into a voluntary framework and reduce its scope under the pretext of administrative simplification, invoking the principles of Digital Omnibus IV. 'Simplification should not be confused with deregulation,' they warn, emphasising the need for binding and enforceable rules to ensure legal certainty, especially for SMEs.
Effective enforcement, the key to the Data Act
The ISP group expresses concern about signs that the Data Act could be enforced with overly “soft” supervision. Without robust and harmonised enforcement at European level, they warn, the rights and obligations enshrined in the regulation risk remaining only on paper.
They therefore urge the European Commission and Member States to ensure consistent, strong and effective enforcement across the Union; to defend the integrity of the Data Act from attempts to reopen or weaken it through future legislative packages; and to recognise the regulation as the first step towards specific sectoral legislation, which is necessary to fully address the challenge of fair access to vehicle data, in order to build a competitive, innovative and consumer-oriented automotive ecosystem based on fair access to vehicle data.
The Data Act aims to guarantee users the right to the data generated by their devices, ensuring that they can share it with third parties of their choice. In the automotive context, this translates into fair and transparent access to vehicle-generated data and technical maintenance and repair information.
After years of technical study, international debate, controversy and delays, European independent aftermarket associations welcome the result achieved, which is essential for supporting competition and innovation in the market for independent manufacturers and operators of after-sales goods and services.
The fundamental principle of the legislation establishes that data intended to be accessible to the manufacturer must also be accessible, with the same quality and timeliness, to third parties chosen by the user, whether it is raw data or data processed to be readable and usable for applications or further processing.
In addition, the Commission anticipates that further guidelines will be published defining transparent criteria for determining the fair remuneration due to manufacturers for the data supply service.
The Data Act and the Guidance on Vehicle Data document represent a decisive step for the aftermarket sector, as they remove barriers that were hindering its growth. In a more open and regulated ecosystem, competition will stimulate the development of innovative and competitive services, benefiting the entire market.
Simplification is not deregulation
This is an important milestone, but not a definitive one: there is still a long way to go towards a truly fair and dynamic automotive data market. The Independent Service Providers Associations (ISPs) are well aware of this and will continue to focus on the points that still need to be clarified: firstly, while agreeing in principle with administrative simplification, the ISPs warn against calls to transform the Data Act into a voluntary framework and reduce its scope under the pretext of administrative simplification, invoking the principles of Digital Omnibus IV. 'Simplification should not be confused with deregulation,' they warn, emphasising the need for binding and enforceable rules to ensure legal certainty, especially for SMEs.
Effective enforcement, the key to the Data Act
The ISP group expresses concern about signs that the Data Act could be enforced with overly “soft” supervision. Without robust and harmonised enforcement at European level, they warn, the rights and obligations enshrined in the regulation risk remaining only on paper.
They therefore urge the European Commission and Member States to ensure consistent, strong and effective enforcement across the Union; to defend the integrity of the Data Act from attempts to reopen or weaken it through future legislative packages; and to recognise the regulation as the first step towards specific sectoral legislation, which is necessary to fully address the challenge of fair access to vehicle data, in order to build a competitive, innovative and consumer-oriented automotive ecosystem based on fair access to vehicle data.
