ECJ ruling ignored

“Breakdown assistance is being made more difficult”: ÖAMTC criticizes the EU

If your car breaks down, you increasingly have to pay extra if you want data from your own vehicle. The reason: car manufacturers are restricting access more and more by adding extra charges and are even ignoring a ruling by the European Court of Justice, criticizes the ÖAMTC. Above all, this would make breakdown assistance more difficult.

Fault diagnoses as part of vehicle breakdown assistance require data that is read out digitally via on-board diagnostics. It is precisely this access that vehicle manufacturers are increasingly restricting through additional keys for a fee, thereby ignoring a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), criticizes the ÖAMTC.

"The EU must take urgent action so that consumers don't end up paying the price again," demanded ÖAMTC Director Oliver Schmerold. However, access to data is now increasingly restricted via an electronic access key, which must be requested from the manufacturer for a fee.

Ultimately, the costs of issuing access keys to drivers are becoming ever higher. Currently, access for an annual subscription for a diagnostic device from a vehicle manufacturer costs the automobile club around 3,000 to 5,000 euros - with many devices in use and current developments, it is only a matter of time before the costs have to be passed on to members, added Schmerold.

"Making breakdown assistance affordable"
This is why the ÖAMTC has been informing members about the impending consequences as part of a member campaign at every breakdown service and at all support points since Monday, where they have been given the opportunity to express their opinion in a letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "This is really about ensuring that we can continue to provide safe roadside assistance in the future at a reasonable price, in the right time and with a corresponding probability of success," said Schmerold.