U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston gave a win to the right to repair movement by rejecting a challenge to a Massachusetts ballot measure that expanded access to vehicle data, allowing independent shops to continue performing maintenance and repairs on modern vehicles, according to Reuters. The challenge was brought forward by the Alliance of Automotive Innovation, a trade association that represents GM, Stellantis Volkswagen, and other automakers.
This challenge has been tied up in the courts for some time. We reported back in 2021 on the Alliance of Automotive Innovation challenging the Massachusetts right-to-repair law. It’s an initiative that requires automakers to provide independent repair shops with more access to electronic and mechanical repair data for their vehicles. The case was reassigned to Casper last month after four years of no decision from U.S. District Judge Douglas Woolock.
The Automotive Alliance for Innovation argued at the time that “Years of manufacturers’ work and billions of dollars in investment to protect and secure vehicle data will effectively be obliterated” if the Massachusetts ballot measure were to pass. The group invoked the often-cited cybersecurity concern around right to repair laws, saying it would “make serious cyberattacks much more likely and deadly than the attacks on pipelines and meat processors currently in the news.”
GM went so far as to say it’s unable to comply with the Massachusetts right to repair law in 2022, citing safety and cybersecurity risks, an impossible timeline for compliance, and conflicts with federal laws on the books.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell gave the green light to begin enforcing the updated right to repair law in 2023, but the NHTSA told automakers not to comply with it. The NHTSA changed its tune on the law months later, and with this week’s decision, it appears to be a done deal.
The Automotive Alliance of Innovation made a statement in response to this week’s loss in court, predictably citing cybersecurity concerns. “Today’s decision will introduce potential security risks to our customers and their vehicles,” the group said. It also continues to claim the Massachusetts law is in conflict with federal laws, specifically, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Clean Air Act.
Comments
Ironic how it’s Capitalists who incite hatred of Capitalism .
…. and I’m on the Center Right .
Imagine trying to keep people from repairing a car that they purchased with their own money. I know the counterargument is, “They won’t repair it correctly!”, but then the manufacturer could sell more cars to replace the ones that the consumer broke. That would be a win-win, right? The real issue is not that consumers might break their car. It’s that manufacturers built repair fees into their business model. Glad to see right to repair is picking up support.
“…manufacturers built repair fees into their business model.”
Huh??
“’We’re going to give dealers the opportunity to make money on EVs,’ Reuss said during the presentation. Reuss also expressed admiration for auto dealers as ‘the best entrepreneurs I’ve ever met in any business.’”
“Reuss also addressed concerns over a potential drop in dealership service department profits, which are based in the belief that EVs are typically less complicated than equivalent ICE-based models and, as a result, may require fewer repairs and less maintenance.”
“’I’m not sure brakes, tires, and alignments last forever,’ Reuss stated. ‘These are not forever vehicles. They are not problem-free. We will rely extensively on dealers to service those vehicles – and make money on it.’”
~ GMAuthority “GM Dealers Will Make Money On EVs, Says Mark Reuss” – February 7th, 2024
My own mom and pop mechanic does a one time do it right job on my cars. From a simple maintenance item to full on transmission replacement. I have never had to take my car back to him for something he didn’t do right.
My local Cadillac dealer, I had to finish installing the headliner properly myself when they changed the weather stripping on my sunroof, and I had to bring it back thrice to address an odd issue where the door chime and turn signal clicking sound would conk out. They replaced my sound amplifier and it didn’t address the issue. Eventually, after taking the door panel out, to look for a loose connection, and nothing was found, I put the door panel back on and the issue never came back. Luckily, this was all warranty work so it wasn’t out of pocket.
Dealership shops aren’t always better. In fact, my personal experience, they never are. So you are paying a premium for nothing really by taking your car to the dealer because it doesn’t even seem like they are being worked on people who know your car that well.
“Imagine trying to keep people from repairing a car that they purchased with their own money.”
If money is where your soul was, you do it by claiming the product was “licensed” not purchased.
The way certain phone and tractor makers have tried.
Most Dealers make more money in Service than they do in Sales .
Worked for a Chevy Dealer after GM retirement .
I have been a GM customer all of my life and all of my GM vehicles have been service at GM dealerships. They have up to date diagnostic equipment and factory trained techs and if there any updates, recalls or warranty issues the dealership have all the service records.
Changing oil, filters, brakes, shocks doesn’t require a dealer service department
Right to Repair is needed if only to keep dealer charges from rising to fast, as they will have independent garages competing for customers when those customers are no longer under warranty.
Rare Dem W.
“Make serious cyberattacks much more likely and deadly”
A laughably weak argument by the automakers. And a correct ruling by the judge.