Right to repair laws have been at the forefront of many people’s minds for years now, ever since voters in Massachusetts approved a revision to that state’s law a few years ago. The Ford-backed lobby group Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) lost its legal battle against that revision recently – which aims to ensure that independent repair shops will retain access to data needed to complete repairs in the future – after which it released the Safety as First Emphasis (SAFE) Repair Act, which guarantees that independent shops will have the same ability to perform those services as franchised auto dealers while also addressing security and data privacy concerns. Now, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has released its own right to repair principles.
SEMA notes that it believes that individuals’ right to repair and modify the vehicles that they own is essential not only to a free nation, but also, the future of the automotive aftermarket in general. With the rise of new technology in vehicles, this right is under threat given the barriers they present for individuals and independent repair shops, as modifying those models now requires access to electronic control units (ECU), on-board diagnostics systems (OBD), and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
Currently, new vehicle manufacturers are not required to provide full lifecycle support, including instructions, application guides, proper mounting or functionality windows, or access to make changes outside of the original sensor location and configuration. This presents a challenge to correctly and safely calibrate ADAS and ensure optimal performance after basic modifications are performed, such as installing larger tires and wheels, lift kits, lowering kits, bumpers, grilles, push bars, light bars, bike racks, and winches.
As such, SEMA remains “neutral” on the REPAIR Act, and plans to continue to lobby to expand that legislation to protect the right to modify and customize vehicles. Its guidelines consist of providing independent shops and individuals with access to tools, repair procedures, and information needed to do so (and at fair and reasonable prices), access to the information needed to calibrate and recalibrate vehicle systems in a safe manner, preventing manufacturers from using technological and legal barriers, providing businesses with a level playing field, and giving owners the right to access their vehicle’s safety and performance data and share it with a repairer of their choice.
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