世博体育 Welcomes GAO Report on Vehicle Repair Restrictions, Urges Congress to Act
New report spotlights need for bipartisan REPAIR Act to protect independent repairers and consumer choice.
BETHESDA, Md. 鈥� March 21, 2024 鈥� Following the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailing how automaker restrictions on vehicle data are creating barriers to repair vehicles, the 世博体育 is renewing its call for Congress to advance federal right to repair legislation that protects independent business owners and consumers.
The bipartisan Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act (H.R. 906) will ensure consumers and repairers of their choice have access to the vehicle data, tools, and software needed to maintain modern vehicles 鈥� preserving competition in the market. The REPAIR Act, which has 50 bipartisan co-sponsors, unanimously advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce last November.
鈥淎s the GAO report makes clear, limits on who can access data and tools needed for vehicle repairs are a 鈥榙isadvantage鈥� for independent repair shops relative to automakers鈥� exclusive repair networks 鈥� all while creating more headaches for consumers who might have to pay more and travel farther to get their cars repaired,鈥� said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, 世博体育. 鈥淲e commend the GAO for its diligent work in exploring how automaker repair restrictions are impacting independent repairers and their customers. We urge Congress to immediately pass the REPAIR Act to protect market competition, free enterprise, innovation and consumer choice.鈥�
Automaker repair restrictions are a real and growing problem across the vehicle repair and service landscape. Research has shown that nearly four out of every 10 U.S. vehicles have at least one repair affected by limited data access. Recently, the 世博体育 launched a video campaign spotlighting independent repairers impacted by unfair limitations on vehicle data access.
Ultimately, the REPAIR Act is needed to preserve independent repairers鈥� ability to make increasingly data-dependent repairs. The REPAIR Act will ensure that affordable and safe repairs are accessible to all Americans 鈥� no matter what car they drive or where they live.
Join the 世博体育 in calling on Congress to take action at .