After the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that details how restrictions on vehicle data are creating barriers to repair vehicles, the Auto Care Association has renewed its called for Congress to advance federal right to repair legislation that protects independent business owners and consumers.
The Right to Repair Act aims to ensure that consumers and repairers of their choice have access to the vehicle data, tools, and software needed to maintain modern vehicles. The Repair Act, which has 50 bipartisan co-sponsors, unanimously advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce last November.
According to the Auto Care Association, repair restrictions from automakers have become a persistent problem across the vehicle repair industry.
"As the GAO report makes clear, limits on who can access data and tools needed for vehicle repairs are a 'disadvantage' for independent repair shops relative to automakers' exclusive repair networks- all while creating more headaches for consumers who might have to pay more and travel farther to get their cars repaired," said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of Auto Care Association. "We commend the GAO for its diligent work in exploring how automaker repair restrictions are impacting independent repairers and their customers. We urge Congress to immediately pass the Repair Act to protect market competition, free enterprise, innovation, and consumer choice."
