Independently-managed neutral servers can be set up to make vehicle data readily available to interested third parties, without the need to sign a contract with the manufacturer of a car, van, truck or bus.
These servers are totally ‘neutral’, meaning that they are neither operated nor financed by the manufacturers, but by an independent party. Of course, these neutral server operators are required to implement state of the art security and data protection measures.
Various companies have already shown an interest in setting up such independently-managed servers. IBM, for example, recently launched a service to make vehicle data accessible through their cloud platform to parties that want to develop new and innovative services.
Service providers can have fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to the data that they need to offer their services to vehicle users. That includes independent repair shops, fleet operators, insurance companies, etc.
Any information that is available to the vehicle manufacturer’s network of authorised repairers will be made available on the same conditions to independent third parties that offer competing services: the same type, amount and quality of data, at the same time, at the same price.
This concept for the transfer of vehicle-generated data ensures access in a fully non-discriminatory and anonymised manner, contributing to innovation and allowing fair and open competition.