Competitiveness

A competitive Automotive Aftermarket keeps the total cost of vehicle ownership under control, through a wide range of repair & maintenance services, replacement parts, diagnostic tools & test equipment, technical data & information provision and insurance during the entire lifecycle of the vehicle. A competitive, open and data-enabled Automotive Aftermarket is essential to Europe’s automotive economy and to affordable mobility for citizens and businesses alike. Its scale is strategic: In the EU, there is a vehicle parc of 285 million passenger cars and light and heavy commercial vehicles. The average European passenger car is around 12.3 years old, and most vehicles are expected to require more than €15,000 in maintenance and repair spending over their lifetime (excluding labour).

Non-discriminatory access to on-board diagnostics, repair and maintenance information, and vehicle-generated data is essential to ensure the competitiveness of this market, particularly for electric and software-defined vehicles. Preserving competitive repair choice prevents customer lock-in and sustains effective competition in parts and service markets. Moreover, repair, reuse, and remanufacturing supports circularity by reducing material dependency, lowering supply-chain risks, and strengthening overall market resilience.