A 21-strong coalition of industry leaders and right-to-repair advocates has called upon members of Congress to join the REPAIR Act's 19 bipartisan cosponsors in advancing its passage to restore a competitive vehicle repair market.
Following last week's reintroduction of Rep. Neal Dunn's (R-FL) REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566), the coalition, including leading consumer advocates, parts suppliers, and aftermarket groups, sent a letter to the House of Representatives explaining how automakers' "tighten(ing) control" over vehicle data access severely limits consumer choice in the vehicle repair market.
"These potentially anticompetitive practices leave independent repairers unable to service vehicles and prevent aftermarket suppliers from offering high-quality, safe, and affordable replacement parts to consumers," the letter states.
According to the coalition, these restrictive practices threaten the livelihoods of nearly 5 million employees in the automotive aftermarket. A majority of independent repairers already report difficulties making routine repairs because of these restrictions.
The coalition argues that federal protections are needed. "The REPAIR Act guarantees the rights of owners and their designated repair facilities to maintain and repair their vehicles while maintaining the same cybersecurity standards, intellectual property protections and vehicle safety standards that exist today," the letter notes. "The REPAIR Act eliminates an existential threat to these jobs and the economy, while ensuring a robust ecosystem of repair options."
The REPAIR Act's reintroduction this Congress follows strong bipartisan support in the previous session, including unanimous passage out of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.
