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Key Issues & Policies

The issue

Vehicles worldwide are increasingly connected wirelessly, collecting thousands of data points on vehicle health. Automakers transmit this data to themselves, obstructing access by independent repair shops. This threatens shop viability, consumer choice, affordability, and even EV adoption goals due to insufficient independent service capacity.

In response, the Association joined a global coalition of aftermarket associations to publish the Global Vehicle Right to Repair Position Statement. The statement establishes that voluntary codes and Memoranda of Understanding have failed due to power imbalances, manufacturer self-interest, and lack of enforcement. Formal legislative intervention is required.

The statement outlines 10 principles for best-practice R2R legislation: (1) Equal Access to the same information, tools, and software supplied to authorized dealers; (2) Telematics access through standardized, cyber-secure, non-proprietary systems; (3) Pass-Thru access without requiring proprietary tools; (4) Flexible Subscription Terms (daily, monthly, yearly); (5) Fair Market Pricing based on reasonable cost recovery; (6) Real-Time Access concurrent with dealer availability; (7) Accountability, Dispute Resolution, and Enforcement with graduated fines; (8) Anti-Circumvention protections against loopholes (copyright, anti-circumvention laws); (9) Operationalization through infrastructure for security-related repair access and technician vetting; (10) Transparency requiring automakers to publish subscription terms on a common website.

Signatories include the Association, MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, AIA Canada, FIGIEFA, IAAF, Tire Industry Association, CVSN, IBC, and dozens of international aftermarket associations across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania.

Auto Care position

The Auto Care Association is a signatory to the Global Vehicle Right to Repair Position Statement. the Association believes that right to repair laws are fundamental to achieving fair and open competition and consumer choice. Voluntary agreements and MOUs have proven unworkable due to the imbalance of power between OEMs and the independent repair sector. Legislative mandates requiring access to service and repair information, diagnostic tools, and software are necessary to preserve a competitive repair market worldwide.

Impact

Without legislative protections, independent repair shops globally risk losing the ability to service connected vehicles as OEMs restrict access to telematics data and diagnostic tools. This reduces competition, drives up repair costs for consumers, threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs, and may undermine EV adoption by limiting service options. The Global Position Statement provides a unified framework that strengthens the Association's domestic advocacy by aligning U.S. efforts with international best practices and demonstrating worldwide industry consensus.

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