The United States automotive aftermarket has experienced several victories when it comes to Right to Repair, which secured the consumer's right to choose where they get their vehicle maintained and repaired. This right was secured twice in Massachusetts: first in 2012, resulting in a nationwide memorandum of understanding (MOU) with automakers for vehicle diagnostic and maintenance data from the OBD port, and again in 2020 for wirelessly generated vehicle data. Soon after the 2020 win and contrary to the will of Massachusetts voters, the automakers filed a lawsuit to overturn this 2020 victory for consumer rights. And we are still waiting on a decision from the judge.
As the industry awaits the long-anticipated decision on the Right to Repair court case in Massachusetts, the auto care industry continues the fight for safe and secure access to vehicle maintenance and repair data on the national and international stage. On the federal front, the Auto Care Association has worked to gain support for the REPAIR Act to secure the Right to Repair for all Americans, but time is running out to secure co-sponsors in this Congress. Due to currently competing legislative priorities (supply chain shortages, war, inflation), it is likely the REPAIR Act bill will need to be reintroduced in 2023.
In response to the need to continued momentum and even more engagement on the issue, members of the Auto Care Association’s marketing and communications committee are asking for the industry to partake in a “Right to Repair Awareness Month” this July.
“It’s critical to engage our 4.4 million brothers and sisters in this battle for independence,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association. “We must continue a steady drumbeat and add more voices to our story. That’s why this July, we’re launching Right to Repair Awareness Month to ensure that every colleague, peer, and coworker knows what Right to Repair is and why they need to get involved.”
Anyone in the industry can join the Right to Repair Awareness Month effort by doing two simple things:
Share your support for Right to Repair throughout the month of July and what it means to you on social using the hashtag #righttorepair. The Auto Care Association has created a media kit with downloadable and editable graphics for eye-catching communications.
Be an ambassador within your organization: spread the word about Right to Repair Awareness Month with your supervisor. Ask your HR department to send this companywide and use resources from the association’s media kit to educate your company and encourage your employees or colleagues to also take 30 seconds to send a pre-populated letter to their local legislator via the association’s Action Center.
Additional resources, including full briefs on Right to Repair can be found on the Auto Care Association website for both the state and national levels.
Companies that participate in employee education efforts will be recognized. Send details about your participation in the Right to Repair Awareness Month to [email protected].
