6th October 2025
Belron welcomes the decision by Germany’s highest court confirming that independent repair shops have the right to unrestricted access to essential vehicle data for carrying out repairs. On 25 September, Germany’s Federal Court of Justice rejected an appeal by the vehicle manufacturer Stellantis against a judgement of the Higher Regional Court of Cologne, which confirms the right of independent repairers to have unrestricted access to vehicle data.
The win represents the fourth victory achieved by Belron for a fair and level playing field in the European automotive aftermarket, safeguarding free competition, and protecting consumer choice.
The Federal Court’s decision reinforces two previous rulings by the Regional and the Higher Regional Court of Cologne and a judgement by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), each of which have made clear that barriers imposed by vehicle manufacturers to restrict access to vehicle data are illegal.
Unrestricted, standardised access to essential repair data is therefore firmly enshrined in EU law. The Federal Court’s decision sends a clear message about consumers’ unfettered right to repair under the law, that this right is clear and important, and there should be no attempt to erode those rights.
Access to a vehicle’s data stream via the onboard diagnostics port (OBD) is needed by independent service providers to recalibrate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as lane-keeping and emergency braking. These systems need to be recalibrated after windscreen replacements so that they operate correctly and drivers can get back on the road safely.
Belron welcomes the clarity provided by the courts that access to the OBD can be implemented in a way that provides cyber security whilst enabling recalibrations. This position is supported by automotive IT security experts and tier 1 ADAS suppliers and has been confirmed by an independent impact assessment. CYRES, the automotive cyber experts, established that conditions on ADAS recalibrations are not reasonable or proportionate to any cybersecurity risk when assessing whether vehicle manufacturers can justify limiting access.
Carlos Brito, CEO of Belron, commented:
“This landmark decision is excellent news for consumers and for the European automotive aftermarket. It guarantees a level playing field for independent repairers, safeguards free competition, and protects consumer choice. Most importantly, it confirms the original ECJ ruling in Germany once and for all.”
Jean-Pierre Filippini, Managing Director of Carglass® Germany, part of the Belron Group, said:
“The ECJ´s interpretation of the law is clear with regard to the aftermarket’s right to have unhindered access to vehicle data immediately. We must ensure that the benefits of fair and competitive access to vehicle systems are felt by consumers as soon as possible.”
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Notes:
The Federal Court of Justice expressly rejected Stellantis’ claim that the legal situation was unclear and required clarification by the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ). It confirmed that no referral was necessary, as the ECJ had already ruled clearly and unequivocally in Case C-296/22 (ATU and Carglass, 5 October 2023).
Details of previous rulings:
About Belron
Belron is one of the world’s leading global vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration groups. Our key brands include Carglass®, Safelite® and Autoglass®. We operate in 40 countries across 6 continents through wholly owned and franchise operations and manage vehicle glass and other insurance claims on behalf of insurance customers. Belron is home to around 30,000 employees who delivered 16 million jobs for our customers in 2024 with a focus on service quality generating a very high level of customer satisfaction. More details are at https://www.belron.com/.