Overview
EN ISO 18541-2:2021 - Road vehicles: Standardized access to automotive repair and maintenance information (RMI) - Part 2: Technical requirements (ISO 18541-2:2021), published by CEN/ISO, defines the minimum technical requirements for a vehicle manufacturer's RMI system. It supports the ISO 18541 series’ objective to standardize access to repair and maintenance information for independent operators (IOs) and aligns with the use cases in ISO 18541‑1. The standard is applicable to light passenger and commercial vehicles as defined in Regulation (EC) 715/2007 Article 2.
Key topics and technical requirements
EN ISO 18541-2:2021 organizes technical requirements into thematic clusters and prescriptive items (TREQs). Major topics include:
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Access-related data administration
- Management of IO and IO employee identities, payment and access-event records, and audit/logging for RMI access.
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IT architecture and implementation principles
- Conceptual architecture, system design principles and requirements for scalable, interoperable RMI systems.
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External interfaces
- Vehicle Communication Interface (VCI) requirements, certificate/trust centre interfaces (certificate management), parts ordering and accessory provider system interfaces.
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Technical infrastructure
- Supported device types, PC requirements, operating system and web browser considerations, presentation formats for information packages, internet connectivity and system performance expectations.
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Co-existence of VM software on IO clients
- Rules for installing, updating, operating, restoring and uninstalling manufacturer-specific applications or data on IO client devices.
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Operations and availability
- Service availability, support processes, and operational requirements for IO workstations.
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Functional user interface
- Usability and functional UI requirements to ensure consistent access and presentation of RMI.
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Annex A (normative): SERMI for security-related RMI
- Defines requirements for granting access to security-related RMI following the SERMI scheme (moved into Annex A in this edition).
Practical applications and who uses it
This standard is used to ensure interoperable, secure, and auditable access to automotive repair and maintenance information. Typical users include:
- Vehicle manufacturers (VMs) - to design compliant RMI backends and access control systems.
- Independent repairers and aftermarket companies - to understand access rules and technical prerequisites for using VM RMI.
- Telematics/VCI and software developers - to build interfaces and client software that meet the technical and security requirements.
- Parts suppliers and accessory providers - to integrate ordering interfaces and information delivery.
- Regulators and conformity assessors - to reference technical requirements related to RMI and SERMI security access.
Related standards and context
- Part of the ISO 18541 series (access/use cases are in ISO 18541‑1).
- Linked to European regulatory frameworks (e.g., Regulation (EC) 715/2007) and the EC Mandate M/421 for RMI access.
Keywords: EN ISO 18541-2:2021, RMI, automotive repair and maintenance information, SERMI, vehicle manufacturer's RMI system, VCI, trust centre, independent operators, technical requirements.