BRUSSELS, March 4 (Reuters) - The European Commission

aims to propose draft legislation this year that would allow

insurers, leasing companies and repair shops fair access to

valuable vehicle data, according to its auto industry action

plan to be published on Wednesday.

Provided it gets the backing of member states, the law could

end a tussle between car services groups, Big Tech and

automakers that are all seeking to monetise in-vehicle data as

they seek to develop new products and services.

The data covers anything from driving habits to fuel

consumption and tyre wear, and analysts have said it means the

connected car market could be worth hundreds of billions of

euros by the end of the decade.

Ownership of the data is not clearly defined in EU law,

which has resulted in the current dispute over access.

"Due to many specificities of connected motor vehicles and

its potential to open new business opportunities, including on

bi-directional and smart charging, complementary measures are

needed," said the draft auto industry action plan seen by

Reuters.

"The Commission will therefore take adequate measures,

including a legislative proposal on access to vehicle data, to

allow the full automotive ecosystem to reap the benefits of data

from connected vehicles," it said, with the proposal planned for

this year.

Carmakers have cautioned against legislation that could

impose blanket obligations on them and also warned of the risks

to trade secrets as well as data misuse.

The auto industry has in addition voiced concern that Big

Tech could soon dominate the infotainment systems on cars'

dashboards. Alphabet's Google and Apple ( AAPL ) have

already got a foothold in the market.