EU car data access rules in progress but no timeline

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is working on rules to ensure fair access to valuable car data for companies and industry but does not know when they will be ready, a spokesperson said on Monday as industry groups fret about unfair competition from U.S. and Chinese tech companies.

The huge potential of the connected car market, which consultancy Fortune Business Insights says could grow to as much as 400 billion euros ($435 billion) by 2030, has triggered a fight between carmakers and industrial users on access to vehicle data.

Carmakers are looking to data-driven software products and subscription services covering everything from driving habits to fuel consumption and tyre wear as the next money spinner.

Data ownership, however, is not clearly defined in EU law, resulting in the current dispute between carmakers and those who want to access it.

"The Commission is working on the preparation of a sector-specific proposal on in-vehicle data. It will aim to complement the proposal for a Data Act, published in February 2022," a spokesperson for the EU executive told Reuters in an email.

"At this stage we cannot prejudge the content of the final impact assessment and subsequent timeline for adoption."

Car services groups last week piled pressure on the Commission to come up with a legislative proposal as U.S. tech companies such as Alphabet's struck deals with General Motors and Mercedes Benz.

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(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Josie Kao)