National ‘Right To Repair’ Agreement Reached

A national agreement has been announced between automobile manufacturers, repairers and parts dealers, making vehicle diagnostic information available to mechanics.  Based on the Massachusetts legislation that was passed last year, this agreement will ensure nationwide consumer choice in post-warranty auto repair.

The signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) impacts all companies and organizations that are members of the signatory associations, including the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, the Association of Global Automakers and the Coalition for Automotive Repair Equality.

“This national agreement ensures the Alliance, Global, AAIA and CARE will stand down in their fight on ‘Right to Repair’ and work collectively to actively oppose individual state legislation while our respective groups work to implement this MOU.  In the meantime, the parties agree that further state legislation is not needed and could serve to weaken the effectiveness and clarity of the MOU,” the groups announced.

This new agreement signifies the end of the battle over “Right to Repair” laws nationwide.  State Representative Garrett Bradley applauds this agreement after years of carrying the Right to Repair issue in Massachusetts.  “This law will ensure that independent repair professionals and interested consumers have access to the tools and information required to repair increasingly high-tech cars,” Bradley stated in his released statement.

President and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, Kathleen Schmatz, announced that, “We are excited that consumers and independent repair facilities around the nation will have the same access to the information, tools and software needed to service late model computer controlled vehicles as required under the Massachusetts right to repair statute.  We believe that the resulting competitive repair market is a win-win for car companies, the independent repair industry and most importantly, consumers.”

While the national agreement is intended to satisfy the interest of all parties in making vehicle diagnostic information available to mechanics, steps have also been taken to ensure the protection of both manufacturer trade secrets and proprietary information.

Mike Stanton, President and CEO of the Association of Global Automakers, explained the necessity of the national agreement.  “Much like with fuel efficiency economy and greenhouse gases, a single national standard regarding vehicle repair protocols is imperative.  A patchwork of fifty differing state bills, each with its own interpretations and compliance parameters doesn’t make sense.  This agreement provides the uniform clarity our industry needs and a nationwide platform to move on.”

Ray Pohlman, President of CARE, further explained the benefits of the agreement, stating that, “Since the first Right to Repair Act was introduced in Congress in 2001, CARE and the automotive aftermarket have worked to ensure our customers continue to have the right to choose where they buy their parts and have their vehicles serviced.”  Pohlman continued his explanation, saying, “This agreement will ensure vehicle owners will have competitive and quality choices in their repairs while strengthening the auto repair industry nationwide.  This agreement illustrates what can happen when organizations focus on putting customers and consumers first.”