Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Feb. 10, 2023:
Bipartisan legislation that would allow consumers and independent repair facilities to continue to repair commercial vehicles as vehicle technology advances has been introduced in the U.S. House.
The Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act was introduced Thursday, Feb. 9. It had previously been introduced last Congress in 2022, but no action was taken on it.
The reintroduced legislation, according to a summary by the Auto Care Association (ACA), “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 legislation was introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Florida) with Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-Pennsylvania), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Washington) signing on as co-sponsors.
"By prohibiting vehicle owners from accessing and sharing data they generate, manufacturers stop consumers from accessing third-party repair shops,” Rep. Davidson said. “American vehicle owners have a right to control their data, and a right to access third-party repair shops, tools and parts.”
During Heavy-Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) held in January, the Motor Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) said the time is right for a federal Right to Repair bill. The truck and bus industries have been operating under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) since 2015.
