Right To Repair Hits The White House

Welcome To Traction Control

Welcome to AutoCare on Air, a candid podcast for Curious Industry. I'm Stacey Miller, Vice President of Communications at the Auto Care Association, and this is Traction Control, where we chat about recent news from the global to the local level and what it may mean to the industry featuring guests on the front lines. Let's roll.

Right To Repair Goes National

Breaking news. Right to repair wasn't just a policy discussion in Washington over this past week. It became a national conversation at the White House. And when that happens, it's a signal that this issue is breaking through. Today, we're going to talk about what was said, why it matters, and what happens next, because something crazy just happened. So President Trump actually met with leaders from the auto industry and publicly raised concerns during a press conference about something that we know all too well, and that are restrictions that can prevent people from fixing their own vehicles or choosing where to get them repaired. Now, whether you're a technician, a shop owner, a supplier, or just someone who drives a car, this hit really close to home. Because it gets to a simple question. If you own your car, shouldn't you be able to fix it? Here's the direct soundbite from that press conference.

The White House Soundbite

And maybe our MVP, what do you think, Doug? It's close. What do you think? MVP? Lee Zeldon. And the job he's done is great. We had the auto industry in yesterday. They don't want people to fix their car. I said, that's strange. I've never heard of that. They have a thing to nobody's allowed to fix their car. They gave a man seven years in jail, actually, because he fixed his own car. So I thought we'd do something about that. But we'll get we'll get it all trained away. Can you believe it? You want a bill that prohibits people from fixing. So if you're mechanically inclined, you know, I grew up, I went to school with some guys who were in some cases horrible students. But they could fix an engine blindfolded. They could take a car apart, blindfold it. But they weren't too good at arithmetic and other things, but uh they were great. And so there's a move on to stop people from fixing their car. I qu didn't understand it. But we had a great meeting yesterday with the head of General Motors and uh Roger Penske, head of Ford. We had a great meeting, I think.

What Lockouts Look Like In Shops

In our industry, this isn't just theoretical, and you just heard it from the president himself. We hear it every day. A vehicle comes into a shop, the technician knows what needs to be done, but they can't access the data or the software or even a basic repair function. So what happens? The customer waits longer, the cost goes up, and the car often gets sent someplace else. Not because the technician isn't capable, but because they're being locked out. And that's just not how this industry has ever worked. Clearly, President Trump doesn't think that it should work this way. So for decades, independent repair shops have been the backbone of local economies, small businesses, and affordable service for millions of drivers. So to really understand why this moment matters, it helps to know what else has been happening in Washington behind the

Repair Act Update From Congress

scenes. So there's been a major push to pass federal right to repair legislation, also known as the Repair Act. But recently, when Congress advanced a broader highway bill, the full Repair Act language was not included. Instead, lawmakers moved forward with a more limited approach, basically reinforcing the existing MOU, a voluntary agreement with automakers, and giving the Federal Trade Commission, the FTC, authority to enforce them. The full breakdown of what happened is in Bill Hanvey's executive update, which is posted to the Auto Care Association YouTube channel. So while that's a step forward, many in the industry and on Capitol Hill have been clear that these provisions don't go far enough to guarantee real access to repair data. So right now, we're in a really critical moment where the issue is active in Congress, the solution is still being debated, and the outcome is still very much in play.

Why This Visibility Changes Things

So this is a bigger moment. And what makes this moment different is the visibility that right to repair just got. Because when a sitting president raises this issue publicly, it means something. It means the conversation is shifting. Right to repair isn't niche anymore. It's about consumer choice, it's about affordability, it's about small business survival. And those are issues that resonate far beyond our industry. And this is one of those really rare moments where policymakers, the public, and the industry, they're all talking about the same thing at the same time. And I love hearing the story and how we reminisce about I had a repair facility that fixed my car or a technician who really took care of me. Those are all the stories that come out when we talk about right to repair and why we would not guarantee them that access and that coming from the president is such a big deal. So at the Auto Care Association, we've been working on this issue for years, as you know, and you hear it here constantly on traction control.

Our Statement And How To Help

And we've been clear right to repair is about making sure vehicle owners have choices. Independent repairs can compete, and families aren't paying more than they should. So, following the president's comments, we did issue a statement welcoming the attention on this issue and encouraging forward progress. So our president and CEO Bill Hanvey said that we welcome the president for raising awareness about arbitrary restrictions harming American families and over 270,000 independent repair businesses. We urge Congress to support protections set out in Dr. Neil Dunn's Repair Act, which will ensure choice, competition, and fair prices in vehicle repairs. But here's the reality: um, awareness is just the beginning. Change happens when people speak up. And this is the most amazing example of that all. So if you're listening to this, you're part of the story. And right now, your voice matters more than ever. You hear us say this again and again. So absolutely what you can do right now is to take 30 seconds, send another letter to your legislator at repaireact.com. Share your story with us or on social media. What are you seeing in your shop, your business, your community? Talk about it with your team, your customers, your network. Because when thousands of voices say the same thing and we're echoing the president, it's impossible to ignore. So this is a defining moment. The conversation is happening at the highest levels. But now it's up to all of us to make sure that this momentum leads to real change. Because at the end of the day, this isn't complicated. It's about something every American understands. If you own it, you should be able to fix

Closing Thoughts And Subscribe

it. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Auto Care on Air. Make sure to subscribe to our podcast so that you never miss an episode. And don't forget to leave us a rating and review that helps others discover our content. AutoCare on Air is a production of the Auto Care Association, dedicated to advancing the autocare industry and supporting professionals like you. To learn more about the association and its initiatives, visit autocare.org.