Following the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report detailing how automaker restrictions on vehicle data are creating barriers to repair vehicles, the Auto Care Association 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 – preserving competition in the market according to the organization. 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.

“As the GAO report makes clear, limits on who can access data and tools needed for vehicle repairs are a ‘disadvantage’ for independent repair shops relative to automakers’ exclusive repair networks – all while creating more headaches for consumers who might have to pay more and travel farther to get their cars repaired,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “We 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.”

Automaker repair restrictions are a real and growing problem across the vehicle repair and service landscape, the Auto Care Association said. 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 Auto Care Association launched a video campaign spotlighting independent repairers impacted by limitations on vehicle data access.