Electric vehicle makers Rivian and Tesla have expressed their support of Right to Repair under the terms of an agreement reached in July between the Automotive Service Association (ASA), the Society of Collision Repair Specialists and Alliance for Automotive Innovation. The agreement affirmed a 2014 Memorandum of Understanding on automotive right-to-repair. Both the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers have criticized the agreement for falling short of what is needed to support the aftermarket, as the carmakers continue not to meet the guidelines set in the MoU.

In a LinkedIn post, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents automakers, states that it believes Right to Repair already exists. Both the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers as well as several other aftermarket groups have condemned this position and instead support The REPAIR Act (H.R. 906), which allows consumers to continue to make the choice of where and with what parts their vehicles are serviced. The REPAIR Act is different from the 2014 MoU in the following ways, according to MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers President and CEO Paul McCarthy:

• The Act contains a binding enforcement mechanism.
• The Act applies to all vehicle OEMs, not just those that choose to participate.
• The Act applies to all on-road vehicles including light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty, and motorcycles.
• The Act obligates OEMs to provide vehicle owners or aftermarket direct access to telematically-generated repair and maintenance data rather than requiring access through OEM controlled systems and tools.
• The Act obligates OEMs to give vehicle owners and repair shops access to telematics and diagnostics data beyond that available just through the OBDII port.
• The Act guarantees the ability to use bi-directional communication, to update vehicles and parts to the latest, safest software.
• The Act requires that data access be done in a cybersecure, regulated manner.
• The Act maintains competition for repair parts and services to prevent potential OEM monopolies.
• The Act accounts for future technologies in a way that will not require amendments or additional legislation.

To read more of McCarthy’s response to the pact, click here.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation published the letters Rivian and Tesla sent on LinkedIn. Find the letter from Rivian Chief Policy Officer Alan Hoffman here and the letter from Tesla’s Rohan Patel, vice president and public policy and business development, here.

Keep up on the latest Right to Repair news at this link.