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Archive articleThis article covers a real industry development from the indicated week. It was independently written and first published by Auto Glass Shop News on August 21, 2026.
Business & PolicyArchive week: January 17, 2025 5 min read

German Court Backs Belron in Data-Access Fight, Reinforcing Right-to-Repair Momentum

A Cologne appellate court ruled against Stellantis on January 17, affirming that automakers cannot block independent repairers from accessing vehicle diagnostic data—a decision with long-term ADAS calibration implications for shops outside Germany.

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By
Robert
Founder & Publisher

On January 17, 2025, the Higher Regional Court of Cologne (HRCC) dismissed an appeal filed by Stellantis in a case originally brought by Carglass Germany—a Belron subsidiary—and ATU, Germany's largest auto repair chain. The court confirmed that barriers vehicle manufacturers impose to block independent repairers from accessing onboard diagnostic data are illegal under European law. Belron welcomed the ruling the same day.

The case traces its roots to a complaint filed against Fiat Chrysler (now Stellantis) in the Regional Court of Cologne. Because the dispute involved interpretation of EU data regulations, that court referred the matter to the European Court of Justice, which ruled in favor of Carglass and ATU on October 5, 2023. Stellantis then appealed to the HRCC, which rejected the appeal in the January 2025 ruling—marking what Belron described as its "third victory" in this legal sequence.

At the heart of the dispute is the "secure gateway" feature that some OEMs embed in vehicles, requiring repairers to pay per-access fees or route through manufacturer portals to retrieve diagnostic information needed to perform recalibrations and other repairs. Belron CEO Carlos Brito stated that the ruling ensures a "level playing field" in the automotive aftermarket and emphasizes the right of independent repairers to have seamless access to vehicle data.

For U.S. auto glass shops, the European ruling carries indirect but important signals. ADAS recalibration already requires technicians to access vehicle diagnostic data—whether through OBD-II ports, proprietary diagnostic tools, or manufacturer scan tools. As new vehicle architectures become more software-defined, the data-access friction that prompted the Belron litigation in Germany could eventually migrate to U.S. markets.

The decision also has implications for the American Right to Repair debate, which has gained traction in several state legislatures. Industry advocates in the U.S. point to the German ruling as evidence that courts can and will side with independent repairers when manufacturers create artificial access barriers, providing useful legal precedent for domestic advocacy efforts.

The Belron ruling was one of a series of legal and regulatory moves that kept the right-to-repair question alive throughout 2025, ultimately shaping how some U.S. shops and their trade associations framed their arguments before state insurance commissioners and legislators.

Key Takeaways

  • •The Cologne appellate court ruled that OEM-imposed data barriers for independent repairers are illegal under EU law, handing Belron/Carglass its third consecutive victory.
  • •The "secure gateway" problem—OEMs restricting diagnostic data access—could increasingly affect U.S. shops as vehicles become more software-defined.
  • •U.S. right-to-repair advocates can use this ruling as international precedent in domestic legislative and regulatory proceedings.