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Automakers Attempt Block On Right-To-Repair Bill In Massachusetts, Access To Software

By: j-writes 0 Comments

Automakers are attempting to block a Massachusetts bill that will give Mom & Pop shops access to repair software.

One of the things I do not like about new cars is the software that is included requiring owners to visit a dealership for certain repairs. It takes all the fun out of fixing my own vehicle and often times is very expensive when you look at the actual value of the service they perform.

Lawmakers in Massachusetts are trying to fix this with the Right To Repair bill. This will require automakers to offer their special diagnostic software to all auto repair shops at a price, allowing small mom and pop shops to fairly compete with auto dealerships for your repair business.

Massachusetts would become the first state to approve the so-called auto right-to-repair law. The Senate recently passed it, and it's pending in the House. Industry observers say passage of the bill in Massachusetts could drive similar legislative efforts in other states.
Car dealers and manufacturers, including Honda, have vigorously opposed the right-to-repair bill on the federal level and in other states, such as New Jersey and Arizona. They say the push for the bill isn't about consumers but about auto parts.
A spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an association of 11 vehicle manufacturers including Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., said aftermarket parts companies are seeking information that would enable them to make inexpensive parts in foreign countries without incurring research and development costs.
Independent repair shops can access repair information from services such as ALLDATA, a leading software provider, and the National Automotive Service Task Force, which says it was established to increase the availability and accessibility of auto service information, training, diagnostic tools and equipment for auto service professionals. Savignac said he's concerned that the system in place now will be damaged by new legislation.

Federal right-to-repair bills have been offered in every legislative session since 2001 without success. Bills like the one in Massachusetts also have been considered in Oklahoma, Maine and Nevada.

...the strong push back from national manufacturers is because they fear passage of a right-to-repair bill in Massachusetts will lead to similar legislative successes nationwide.

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