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OBD Data Stream Information Licensing

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... shops need access to tools and information similar to what car dealers get. ... Sometimes this is enough to build a tool, other times it is not ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: OBD Data Stream Information Licensing


1
OBD Data Stream Information Licensing
  • November 17, 2003
  • Charlie Gorman
  • Equipment Tool Institute

2
Background
  • EPA and CARB have determined that aftermarket
    repair shops need access to tools and information
    similar to what car dealers get.
  • Information must be provided to scan tool
    companies so that they can build tools that
    emulate factory scan tools.
  • To avoid further legislation OEMs have agreed to
    provide non-emissions related info to scan tool
    companies.
  • To summarize, either through regulation or the
    threat of regulation, carmakers have agreed to
    support the aftermarket repair market.

3
What is Data Stream information?
  • Simply put, it is a list of specifications needed
    to build a device capable of communicating with
    vehicle on-board systems.
  • Physical layer data link documentation for OBD
    systems.
  • Protocol documentation for OBD systems.
  • Parametric data for OBD data display and
    activation.
  • Parametric data for OBD special service
    functions.
  • It is surprising how many OEMs are still having
    trouble understanding what scan tool companies
    need.

4
What Data Stream Info is Not
  • It isnt software.
  • It isnt Hardware.
  • It isnt of use to end users, in this case
    technicians.
  • It is never used in the form it was given.
  • As is the case with most specifications it is
    reference material only.

5
Specification (an Analogy)
  • There are two ways to design an aftermarket wheel
    to fit a particular OEMs vehicle
  • Ask the OEM for the specifications
  • Measure it yourself
  • In either case the resulting wheel contains no
    OEM content. (more on this latter in the
    presentation)
  • Data stream information can be acquired through
    measurement techniques similar to the wheel
    example, but much more difficult to accomplish.

6
The Value of Data Stream Info
  • OEM Data Stream Information is valuable because
    it saves design and development time.
  • The value is directly proportional to the time
    saved.
  • If the cost to acquire the information from an
    OEM ever exceeds the cost to acquire the
    information through measurement, most scan tool
    companies will opt for measurement.
  • If a scan tool company or companies create their
    own specifications through a measurement
    technique, the resulting data is theirs and they
    can do anything with it they wish.

7
OEM Perspective
8
To Varying Degrees many OEMS have always been
somewhat reluctant to provide Data Stream
Information, why?
  • Competition Issues
  • Lack of documentation, or someone else owns the
    documentation
  • Technical support issues
  • Translation Issues (self explanatory)
  • Liability Issues

9
Competition
  • Dealer organizations want exclusive support from
    their Franchisors. In many cases any attempt by
    an OEM to show support for the aftermarket is
    viewed as anti dealer.
  • Some OEMs have their own preferred aftermarket
    repair network. Providing information to the
    aftermarket in general violates some of the
    exclusivity promises made to their own network.

10
Lack of Documentation
  • Every OEM uses a supplier to provide the factory
    scan tool
  • Most OEMs no longer manufacture their own ECUs.
    (Tier One Supplier)
  • The result is that not all OEMs have full access
    to the information required by aftermarket scan
    tool manufacturers.

11
Technical Support Issues
  • Providing information means that you must also
    provide support, OEMS may not have the
    inclination or manpower to provide such support.

12
Liability Issues
  • Kinds of liability
  • Injury, death and property damage
  • Vehicle systems damage
  • Vehicle theft (system security breach)
  • Improper repairs
  • Alterations to safety and/or emissions controls
    that could cause emissions or safety regulation
    violations.

13
Injury, Death Property Damage
  • In the past OEMs designed safeguards into their
    factory tool. These safeguards must now be built
    into the vehicle because the OEM does not have
    design control over all the tools that might be
    used.
  • Some OEMs did this back in the mid 90s, some
    havent done it yet. The ones who havent are
    worried about what is going to happen now that
    information must be made available.
  • What is to keep someone from overtly using data
    stream information in an unsafe manner?
    (unauthorized applications).

14
Vehicle Systems Damage
  • Scan tools improperly designed or configured can
    damage or destroy the electronic devices they are
    meant to only communicate with.

15
Vehicle theft(system security breach)
  • Security
  • Some OEMS have not separated scan tool repair
    functions from vehicle security functions.
  • Some information provided to improve aftermarket
    scan tool capabilities may make vehicle theft
    and/or alteration more likely. These OEMs
    designed systems without considering aftermarket
    scan tools.

16
Improper Repairs
  • What happens if someone's scan tool is
    misdiagnosing vehicles?
  • Causes customer satisfaction issues
  • Causes abnormally high parts returns to dealers
  • This issue can relate back to injury or property
    damage as well.
  • General belief among OEMS that the aftermarket is
    under trained or otherwise unqualified to repair
    the sophisticated systems on their vehicles.

17
Alterations to Safety and/or Emissions Controls
  • Scan tools, if designed improperly can negatively
    affect emissions and safety.
  • Systems can be altered or turned off
  • Programs can be altered
  • A vehicle could be placed in some sort of limp
    mode that negatively affects emissions.
  • Data stream information in the hands of some
    tuners could negatively affect emissions

18
Protecting OEM Data an Aftermarket Scan Tool
Manufacturer Perspective
19
Many OEM Issues are Quickly Becoming Past Issues
  • Competition Issues
  • Resolved by regulation and the threat of
    regulation (CARB, EPA, Right to Repair Act,
    NASTF)
  • Lack of documentation, or someone else owns the
    documentation
  • A problem in the past, but not in the future.
    OEMs now know what they need from suppliers and
    will require it as part of all future contracts.
    Good documentation may even become a selling
    feature of suppliers products.

20
Many OEM Issues are Quickly Becoming Past Issues
  • Technical Support
  • Although there are always questions regarding OEM
    documentation, in no case have these requests
    been overwhelming to any OEM
  • ETI has a program in place to help OEMs minimize
    the number of technical assistance requests.
  • Some OEMs have designed software tools that help
    scan tool manufacturers apply data stream data to
    their applications. I expect we will see more of
    this.
  • Translation Issues
  • Globalization of regulations, standards and
    suppliers should eliminate this problem.

21
This Leaves Liability as the Only Major
Unresolved Issue
  • Although many scan tool manufacturers have
    excellent protections in place, perhaps some do
    not.
  • Is the data going only to legitimate scan tool
    companies?
  • If someone creates a liability for an OEM, what
    is the OEMs recourse or remedy?

22
How have OEMS reacted so far?
  • Most OEMS are going along with the program.
  • Some have embraced the spirit of regulations and
    have done an outstanding job of providing
    information
  • Others have done the minimum. What do we have to
    do to get the government off our back? Sometimes
    this is enough to build a tool, other times it is
    not
  • Some are restricting access to those that produce
    tools used for repair purposes only.
  • A few are requiring license agreements with fees.
  • The belief is that fees will reduce number of
    requests for information and thus reduce
    liability and offset some of the costs associated
    with support.

23
How Can OEM Reluctance be Overcome?
  • Through ETI, prove that the scan tool companies
    that desire this information can be just as
    responsible as the OEMS they are getting it from.
  • Internal and external data protection
    (confidentiality)
  • Recognition of ownership
  • Proper and safe use of the data
  • Indemnification of OEM
  • Liability insurance

24
How Can ETI Help?
  • ETI contract with member companies that desire
    information from the TEK-NET Library
  • ETI has available recommended contract elements
    that OEMs can use to develop individual contracts
    with each scan tool manufacturer.
  • ETI technical support

25
ETI Technical Support
  • QA filtering
  • Company asks question
  • All licensed members see question (can be done
    anonymously)
  • If question cant be answered by users, OEM
    receives question
  • OEM answers question
  • All licensed members see answer
  • Multiple level website password protection for
    all users and web pages (in place)
  • Web-based forums (in place)
  • Data Archives (in place using CD-ROMs right now)
  • User screening Do you want to limit access of
    data stream information to certain applications?
    Give us the profile and we will limit access.

26
License Fees
  • License fees collected from scan tool
    manufacturers will never contribute significantly
    to any OEMs profit.
  • OEM Data Stream Information is valuable because
    it saves design and development time.
  • The value is directly proportional to the time
    saved.
  • If the cost to acquire the information from an
    OEM ever exceeds the cost to acquire the
    information through measurement, most scan tool
    companies will opt for measurement.
  • If a scan tool company or companies create their
    own specifications through a measurement
    technique, the resulting data is theirs and they
    can do anything with it they wish.

27
License Fees are Counterproductive Because
  • They limit rather than enhance the number of
    companies that can participate and thus limit
    aftermarket choice.
  • When a fee is charged for information, liability
    for that information is implied.
  • When a fee is charged for information, accuracy
    and completeness are implied.
  • Not all companies that charge fees will be able
    to have their information verified by the NASTF
    equipment committee because no committee members
    have a license.
  • There is no way to figure out a fair and
    reasonable fee (see chart on next slide) OEMs
    that most need a fee are least likely to receive
    it.

28
Business Case Implementation Factors
29
Conclusions
  • Liability is the single most important issue
    concerning the delivery of scan tool data stream
    information.
  • ETI is willing to work with all OEMs to insure
    that their data is secure, used in a safe and
    responsible manner.
  • ETI already has most of the tools in place to
    provide the needed support.
  • ETI can reduce the amount of support an OEM must
    provide to aftermarket scan tool companies.
  • License fees do not solve problems, they create
    them.

30
Electronic Copies Available
  • For a copy of this presentation please go to
  • http//www.etools.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid2
    134
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