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CHAPTER XIVU.K. ACCESS TO VEHICLE OBD INFORMATION AND VEHICLE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE INFORMATION

Article 61U.K.Manufacturers' obligations to provide vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information

1.Manufacturers shall provide to independent operators unrestricted, standardised and non-discriminatory access to vehicle OBD information, diagnostic and other equipment, tools including the complete references, and available downloads, of the applicable software and vehicle repair and maintenance information. Information shall be presented in an easily accessible manner in the form of machine-readable and electronically processable datasets. Independent operators shall have access to the remote diagnosis services used by manufacturers and authorised dealers and repairers.

Manufacturers shall provide a standardised, secure and remote facility to enable independent repairers to complete operations that involve access to the vehicle security system.

2.[F1The Secretary of State may by regulations specify a relevant standard for the purposes of this Article, from standards developed by the British Standards Institute, the European Committee for Standardisation or a comparable standardisation body. Until such a standard has been specified], the vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information shall be presented in an easily accessible manner that can be processed with reasonable effort by independent operators.

The vehicle OBD information and the vehicle repair and maintenance information shall be made available on the websites of manufacturers using a standardised format or, if this is not feasible, due to the nature of the information, in another appropriate format. For independent operators other than repairers, the information shall also be given in a machine-readable format that is capable of being electronically processed with commonly available information technology tools and software and which allows independent operators to carry out the task associated with their business in the aftermarket supply chain.

3.However, in the following cases, it shall be sufficient that the manufacturer provides the required information promptly in an easily accessible manner when an independent operator so requests:

(a)for vehicle types covered by a F2... type-approval of vehicles produced in small series as referred to in Article 42;

(b)for special purpose vehicles;

(c)for vehicle types of categories O1 and O2 that do not use diagnostic tools or a physical or wireless communication with the on-board electronic control unit or units for the purpose of diagnostics or reprogramming of their vehicles;

(d)for the final stage of type-approval in a multi-stage type-approval procedure, where the final stage only covers bodywork which does not contain electronic vehicle control systems, and all electronic vehicle control systems of the base vehicle remain unchanged.

4.The details of the technical requirements for access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information, in particular technical specifications on how vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information are to be provided, are laid down in Annex X.

5.Manufacturers shall also make training material available to independent operators and authorised dealers and repairers.

6.Manufacturers shall ensure that the vehicle OBD information and the vehicle repair and maintenance information are always accessible, except as required for maintenance purposes of the information system.

Manufacturers shall make any subsequent amendments and supplements to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information available on their websites at the same time they are made available to authorised repairers.

7.For the purposes of manufacturing and servicing of OBD-compatible replacement or service parts and diagnostic tools and test equipment, manufacturers shall provide the relevant vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information on a non-discriminatory basis to any interested manufacturer or repairer of components, diagnostic tools or test equipment.

8.For the purposes of the design, manufacturing and the repair of automotive equipment for alternative-fuel vehicles, manufacturers shall provide the relevant vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information on a non-discriminatory basis to any interested manufacturer, installer or repairer of equipment for alternative-fuel vehicles.

9.Where repair and maintenance records of a vehicle are kept in a central database of the vehicle manufacturer or on its behalf, independent repairers shall have access to such records free of charge and shall be able to enter information on repair and maintenance which they have performed.

10.This Chapter shall not apply to vehicles that are covered by individual vehicle approvals.

11.[F3The Secretary of State may by regulations amend] Annex X to take account of technical and regulatory developments or prevent misuse by updating the requirements concerning the access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information, including the repair and maintenance activities supported by wireless wide area networks and by adopting and integrating the standards referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. The [F4Secretary of State must] take into account current information technology, foreseeable vehicle technology developments, existing ISO standards and the possibility of a worldwide ISO standard.

Textual Amendments

Article 62U.K.Obligations with regard to holders of several type-approvals

1.The manufacturer responsible for the respective type-approval of a system, component or separate technical unit or for a particular stage of a vehicle shall be responsible, in the event of a mixed type-approval, a step-by-step type-approval or a multi-stage type-approval, for communicating to both the final manufacturer and the independent operators the repair and maintenance information relating to the particular system, component or separate technical unit or to the particular stage.

2.In the case of multi-stage type-approval, the final manufacturer shall be responsible for providing access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information regarding its own manufacturing stage or stages and the link to the previous stage or stages.

Article 63U.K.Fees for access to vehicle repair and maintenance information

1.The manufacturer may charge reasonable and proportionate fees for access to vehicle repair and maintenance information other than the records referred to in Article 61(10). Those fees shall not discourage access to such information by failing to take into account the extent to which the independent operator uses it. Access to vehicle repair and maintenance information shall be offered free of charge to [F5the approval authority or the market surveillance authority], [F6and to] technical services.

2.The manufacturer shall make available vehicle repair and maintenance information, including transactional services such as reprogramming or technical assistance, on an hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly basis, with fees for access to such information varying in accordance with the respective periods of time for which access is granted.

In addition to time-based access, manufacturers may offer transaction-based access for which fees are charged per transaction and not based on the duration for which access is granted.

Where the manufacturer offers both systems of access, independent repairers shall choose systems of access, which may be either time-based or transaction-based.

Textual Amendments

Article 64U.K.Proof of compliance with vehicle OBD information and repair and maintenance information obligations

1.The manufacturer that has applied for [F7a GB type-approval, including a GB small series type-approval] shall provide the approval authority with proof of compliance with this Chapter within six months from the date of the respective type-approval.

2.Where such proof of compliance is not provided within the period referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the approval authority shall take appropriate measures in accordance with Article 65.

Textual Amendments

Article 65U.K.Compliance with the obligations regarding access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information

1.[F8The approval] authority may at any time, whether on its own initiative, on the basis of a complaint, or on the basis of an assessment by a technical service, check that a manufacturer is in compliance with this Chapter and with the Manufacturer's certificate on access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information referred to in Appendix 1 to Annex X.

2.Where [F9the approval] authority finds that the manufacturer has failed to comply with its obligations regarding access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information, the approval authority F10... shall take appropriate measures to remedy the situation.

Those measures may include the withdrawal or suspension of the type-approval, fines or other measures adopted pursuant to Article 84.

3.Where an independent operator or a trade association representing independent operators files a complaint to the approval authority on the failure of the manufacturer to comply with this Chapter, the approval authority shall carry out an audit in order to verify compliance by the manufacturer. The approval authority shall F11... investigate the complaint and [F12subsequently] ask for evidence from the vehicle manufacturer demonstrating that the system that the vehicle manufacturer has in place is in compliance with this Regulation. The results of that investigation shall be communicated to F13... the independent operator or trade association concerned within three months F14....

4.When carrying out the audit, the approval authority may ask a technical service or any other independent expert to carry out an assessment to verify whether the obligations concerning access to vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information have been met.

Textual Amendments

F15Article 66U.K.Forum on Access to Vehicle Information

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Textual Amendments