Accessing Vehicle Data Fairly – Highlights from the EU Data Summit 2024

What stands in the way of fair access to vehicle data in Europe? The EU Data Summit 2025 tackled this question with urgency and clarity – here are our key takeaways.

Intro: At the EU Data Summit 2024, I had the opportunity to join a distinguished panel on one of the most pressing topics in mobility data governance: How do we ensure a level playing field in accessing vehicle data? The session, moderated by Begoña Gonzales Otero (Max Planck Institute), brought together voices from academia, industry and policy in a timely and focused exchange – just ahead of the Data Act entering into force.

Thorge Erichsen (Mercedes-Benz Group), Andreas Wiebe (University of Göttingen), Juan I. Hahn (HAHN Network) and Begoña González Otero (Max Planck Institute) during the EU Data Summit 2025 panel discussion on fair access to vehicle data, hosted at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Berlin.

Context: Held at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Berlin and co-hosted by the EU Commission, the event brought together leading voices from regulation, the automotive sector and digital innovation. Our panel included Andreas Wiebe (University of Göttingen), Thorge Erichsen (Mercedes-Benz Group), and other experts shaping the data economy.

The conversation covered a broad yet focused range: from cybersecurity measures that protect but must not paralyze data sharing, to the innovation potential of aggregated data for SMEs, repair shops and aftermarket players in Europe. What emerged was a shared urgency: rules alone are not enough – we need usable structures.

Signals from the Summit:

• Vehicle Data Governance is at a tipping point. Regulation is increasing – but clarity, execution and access models lag behind. The coming months will define whether the market stays concentrated or becomes inclusive.

• Cybersecurity and innovation must be balanced. Without robust yet flexible architectures, security measures risk becoming de facto barriers to data-driven value creation.

• SMEs must be part of the solution. Access to data must empower not just OEMs, but also independent workshops, platform builders and regional ecosystem actors.

• Mobility Data Spaces need leadership. With the European Health Data Space gaining traction, expectations rise for mobility data to follow. But scalable governance models and aligned stakeholder incentives are still missing.

• AI will magnify the stakes. The panel agreed: AI will accelerate the value of vehicle data. But only viable access and partner-ready infrastructure will make that value real.

What it means for the ecosystem: Fair access to vehicle data isn’t just about compliance – it’s about strategic competitiveness, system-level innovation, and the ability to build AI-powered services that benefit all stakeholders. Europe has the regulatory foundations. Now we need executable frameworks.

At HAHN Network, we contribute by bridging use-case strategy, platform logic and regulatory structure – enabling scalable innovation through our "Discovery – Validation – Scale" model.

Final Thought:

"Level playing field" must not remain a panel title – it must become a buildable, testable, scalable architecture.

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