Mercedes-Benz to Allow Customers to Use Vehicle Data

As of December 2018, on customer request, Mercedes-Benz has made it possible for independent third-party providers to get access to vehicle fault codes. This decision is in line with the European type approval regulations. Daimler will now make all fault codes from the installed control units available to third-party providers for the use case, ‘Remote Diagnostic Support’ (RDS). They will thus be able to conduct a remote diagnosis for networked Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

It is essential to get the consent of the Mercedes-Benz customer for third-party providers to get access to purpose-defined data access. The consent is to be given through the respective portals, like ‘Mercedes me’ for digital passenger car services or ‘Mercedes Pro’ for digital van services. Only the data that is needed for services like remote diagnostics is transferred and this is made available on the express wish of the customer.

Mercedes-Benz customers have the option to withdraw their consent to data transmission at any time in the respective portals. Thus, customers always have transparency with regard to which third-party provider has consent for access to specific vehicle data. They can choose to change their mind at any time. Vehicle-generated data is made available through the so-called ‘Extended Vehicle Concept’. Third parties do not gain direct access to the vehicle. They get access only to the backend server of the vehicle manufacturer and this helps to maintain maximum levels of operating safety and data security.

Daimler will implement the extended vehicle and neutral server concept to the full extent in full measure according to the agreement between the VDA (German Automobile Industry Association) and the ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association). The purpose of the agreement is to permit free competition between vehicle manufacturers and independent third-party providers.

The customer can make a request, and after consent has been given to Daimler and the third-party provider, third-party providers can get access to purpose and use case related data packages from the backend server and via the neutral server. This data is transmitted through the neutral server, without any of the data being saved or processed in any manner other than for its intended purpose. Thus, Daimler or Daimler subsidiaries would not gain any information related to the third-party providers and their business models. Only the operators of the neutral servers will have this information. The risks to operating and vehicle safety are minimized by a closed-loop connection between the vehicle and the manufacturer’s backend server.