Policy Details
Official titleREPAIR Act
The REPAIR Act
The issue
Access to vehicle maintenance and repair data is under threat from vehicle manufacturers. Historically, OBD-2 ports have granted vehicle owners and technicians access to vehicle data to assist with maintenance and repair.
Today, that data is transmitted wirelessly (telematics) and sent directly and only to the vehicle manufacturer, who then serves as a gatekeeper, determining who can have access and at what cost.
Auto Care position
Vehicle owners have the right to decide how and where to have their vehicles repaired, and independent repair shops need access to maintenance and repair data to perform safe and quality vehicle maintenance.
The REPAIR Act would preserve consumer access to high-quality and affordable vehicle repair by ensuring that as vehicles continue to modernize, vehicle owners and their repairer of choice have equal access to repair and maintenance tools and data.
The REPAIR Act has three important principles:
- Prevents vehicle manufacturers from deploying barriers to repair and maintenance
- Requires that vehicle owners and their designees have access to vehicle-generated data from the manufacturer
- Prohibits mandating particular brands, tools and equipment for repairing vehicles
Impact
Lack of access to repair data hurts consumers:
- Increased repair costs from required trips to dealerships
- Limited choice in where they take their vehicle for maintenance and repair
- Lack of privacy: manufacturers collect terabytes of data from vehicles, often without drivers' knowledge
For the aftermarket, it means:
- Loss of innovation
- Lack of competition
- Reduced collaboration
Resources & toolkit
Full Summary of the REPAIR ActRelated webinars
Policy Ahead 2026: Elections, Right to Repair, and Vehicle Data
Get the latest updates on federal momentum behind the REPAIR Act, emerging vehicle technology policy risks, and state-level activity across PFAS, E...
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