Auto Care Association provides testimony Tuesday to U.S. House subcommittee on urgency to pass bipartisan bill to support repair data access and consumer protection
Washington, D.C.—A U.S. House subcommittee was warned on Tuesday that without federal action, the automotive aftermarket faces an existential threat that would lead to a vertically integrated industry, reduced competition, higher prices, diminished quality and fewer choices for consumers.
In a hearing with the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade (CMT), Auto Care Association President and CEO Bill Hanvey emphasized that safe, affordable, and accessible vehicle repair is essential to highway safety and consumer protection, particularly as vehicles become increasingly software-driven and data-dependent.
“Today’s vehicles are computers on wheels,” Hanvey said, noting that manufacturers are increasingly restricting access to critical repair and maintenance data. “When vehicle owners and independent repairers are locked out of that data, repairs are delayed, costs increase and safety can be compromised.”
Hanvey underscored the importance of including the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act (H.R. 1566) in the safety title of the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act.
He highlighted that the bipartisan legislation, supported by 42 cosponsors and more than 83 percent of U.S. voters, would immediately enhance safety by ensuring vehicle owners can choose where and how their vehicles are professionally repaired.
Key points from Hanvey’s testimony included:
- Cost and safety impacts on consumers: Manufacturer-imposed data restrictions are forcing vehicle owners into franchised dealerships, where repair costs are, on average, 36 percent higher and wait times significantly longer.
- Real-world safety consequences: Independent repair shops are routinely unable to complete even basic repairs — such as battery replacements or windshield wiper changes — without dealer-only codes, resulting in unnecessary delays and added risk for drivers.
- Economic and workforce implications: Independent repair shops perform more than 70 percent of out-of-warranty repairs nationwide and are critical to local economies, workforce development, and vehicle uptime for working families and commercial fleets.
- Cybersecurity and intellectual property protections: The REPAIR Act preserves existing intellectual property rights and cybersecurity standards manufacturers use to deliver data to franchised dealers.
- Commercial vehicle safety: With only about 5,600 medium- and heavy-duty truck dealerships nationwide, independent and mobile repair providers are essential to keeping commercial fleets operating safely, especially in rural and remote regions.
Policymakers’ hearing statements
“The REPAIR Act is motivated to support consumers’ choice and a fair and open marketplace in the automobile repair industry. If it’s your car, then you own the data generated by your car.”
— Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN)
“In the car industry, there are big concerns about affordability; how do we make products that people can afford to buy? We want them safe; we want them affordable.”
— Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Chair, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
“I do support the idea of the right to repair so that people can have the right to fix their cars.”
— Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Ranking Member, CMT Subcommittee
To learn more about the REPAIR Act and send a letter to Congress, visit repairact.com.
Comments are closed.