A Right-to-Repair bill has been presented on the federal level in Congress, NBCDFW reports.
The bill in Congress is similar to other Right-to-Repair legislation presented at the state level across the nation.
Though right-to-repair legislation has been supported by groups such as Consumer Reports and the Auto Care Association, other organizations such as the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) have opposed it.
NADA’s argument surrounds data security concerns, having stated that allowing access to automakers’ proprietary information opens new safety risks.
Counters to this argument insist that the data collected from vehicles is solely used for repair purposes and that repair shops would not be capable of rewriting a vehicle’s software. Additionally, it’s been argued that the dangers presented by unrepaired cars are a more likely threat than data security would be.
NADA has claimed that the information technicians need to repair vehicles is already available. However, Consumer Reports has reportedly spoken to service techs that say this information is not enough and is often confusing and unhelpful.
“Through our research and surveys we have conducted, the cost of repair is, on average, 36% less in the independent aftermarket rather than the dealership,” said Auto Care Association President and CEO Bill Hanvey.
