OBD Data Stream Information Licensing

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OBD Data Stream Information Licensing

• November 17, 2003
• Charlie Gorman
• Equipment Tool Institute

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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OEM Perspective
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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

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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.

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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.

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Technical Support Issues

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

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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.

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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).

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Vehicle Systems Damage

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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Protecting OEM Data an Aftermarket Scan Tool
Manufacturer Perspective
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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Business Case Implementation Factors
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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.

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Electronic Copies Available

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