EU Regulation Amendment on OBD Data Access: What Changes for Workshops and Manufacturers

Key data

Independent workshops and automotive aftermarket operators in the EU depend on standardized access to on-board diagnostic (OBD) data and repair and maintenance information to compete with manufacturers' official networks. The Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/699, adopted on 23 March 2026, amended the framework established by Regulation (EU) 2018/858 regarding standardized access to OBD information and secure access requirements to such systems.

On 17 June 2026, a corrigendum to that delegated regulation was published in the EU Official Journal. The corrigendum, with reference OJ:L_202690479, enters into force with retroactive effect from 3 June 2026 and corrects possible technical or drafting errors detected in the original text, without modifying the regulatory substance established.

What does this regulation establish?

The affected regulatory framework has two layers worth distinguishing:

Regulation 2026/699 —and its corrigendum— specifically regulates:

• Standardized access to OBD information: how independent workshops and aftermarket operators can connect to vehicle on-board diagnostic systems.
• Repair and maintenance information: conditions under which manufacturers must make available the technical data necessary to repair and maintain vehicles.
• Secure access requirements and procedures: protocols that ensure OBD system access is carried out securely, preventing unauthorized manipulation.

The corrigendum published on 17 June corrects errors detected in the delegated regulation text —whether in cross-references, technical terminology or article wording— without introducing new obligations or removing existing ones.

Economic and operational impact

Although this is a corrigendum and not a substantive reform, its operational implications are relevant for the three affected sectors:

• Vehicle manufacturers: are obliged to provide access to OBD and repair information. Any adjustment in the wording of secure access procedures may affect the technical systems and portals they have already deployed to comply with the base regulation.
• Independent workshops: their ability to compete with official networks depends directly on this access. An error in the original text —if it affected access conditions or deadlines— could have generated legal uncertainty that the corrigendum now clarifies.
• Diagnostic tool providers: develop software and hardware that must comply with the secure access requirements defined in the regulation. The corrigendum may require reviewing technical documentation or product specifications.

The impact on competition in the EU automotive aftermarket is direct: a clear regulatory framework without drafting errors is the basis on which independent workshops can demand from manufacturers the access to data that legally belongs to them.

Who does it affect?

• Vehicle manufacturers with EU type-approval, obliged to provide standardized access to OBD and repair data.
• Independent workshops that perform diagnostic, repair and maintenance services for vehicles outside manufacturers' official networks.
• Diagnostic tool providers that develop and market equipment and software compatible with OBD systems under EU secure access requirements.
• Automotive aftermarket operators in general: spare parts distributors, technical data platforms and any actor that depends on access to repair and maintenance information.

Practical example

An independent electric vehicle repair workshop in Spain accesses OBD data from a German manufacturer through the portal enabled under Regulation 2026/699. If the original regulation text contained an error in the name of the secure authentication procedure —for example, an incorrect reference to a technical standard— the workshop could have found discrepancies between what the regulation requires and what the manufacturer implements in its portal.

With the corrigendum published on 17 June 2026, that error is corrected with effect from 3 June. The workshop can now invoke the corrected text if it needs to claim correct access from the manufacturer, and the manufacturer has certainty about what procedure to implement without drafting ambiguity.

What should companies do now?

1. Download and compare the corrected text: access the corrigendum OJ:L_202690479 in the EU Official Journal and compare it with the text of Delegated Regulation 2026/699 to identify exactly which paragraphs or articles have been modified.
2. Review internal access procedures: manufacturers must verify that their portals and secure OBD data access systems reflect the corrected text, not the original with errors.
3. Update technical documentation: diagnostic tool providers must review whether their product specifications or manuals reference parts of the regulation that have been corrected.
4. Inform the legal and compliance team: ensure that the legal department works with the corrected version of the regulation, especially if there are ongoing access claim procedures.
5. Monitor possible further developments: a corrigendum may be followed by interpretative clarifications from the European Commission. Maintain active regulatory monitoring of Regulation 2018/858 and its delegated acts.

Official source

View complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202690479