Many Mainers may not know about it, but auto repair is a hot-button issue these days.
Not only are drivers dealing with higher prices, but recent technology trends make it more difficult to get vehicles serviced. Consumers and independent shops must fight to preserve our “right to repair.”
It’s no secret: The technology boom has made automobiles more advanced. Cars serve as rolling computers. Once unimaginable, offerings like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard features. Driver assistance technologies make it easier to park, while Bluetooth-paired entertainment is available virtually everywhere.
But technological innovation comes with a cost. Over 90% of new cars and trucks are equipped to wirelessly transmit real-time diagnostic and repair information exclusively to vehicle manufacturers, preventing individual drivers or independent repair shops from diagnosing or performing certain repairs of those vehicles. Wireless technologies are effectively removing the car owner’s right to get their vehicle repaired at a local, independent service provider because the automaker would rather steer that car owner to a dealership.
The incentive for car manufacturers and dealers is clear. Automakers are increasingly leveraging new technology to shut out independent shops from repairing the newest models. These changes also shut out do-it-yourself mechanics at home from doing the work themselves, as they cannot access the wireless data required to diagnose their vehicles.
Here’s an example: A customer recently brought his vehicle in for repairs after the engine warning light came on. However, the customer had to be sent to the manufacturer’s dealership because technicians couldn’t access the car’s data. The technicians knew it was just a loose gas cap that caused the warning light to come on, but the manufacturer didn’t allow an independent shop access to the software for resetting that fault, so the customer lost valuable time and money.
This is especially problematic in today’s inflationary economy, with customers struggling to stretch their hard-earned money. Not only are gas prices high, but auto repair is also more expensive, especially at car dealerships where prices have traditionally been higher than independent repair shops.
The only logical solution to the problem is to preserve consumer choice. In the repair industry, it’s called the “right to repair,” the fundamental concept that independent auto repair shops have the right to perform all necessary repairs on cars and trucks. Vehicle owners in Maine must preserve their freedom to repair their own vehicles and allow their independent shop of choice to access their vehicles’ data for the purposes of diagnosing and fixing.
To that end, independent businesses across Maine, including VIP Tires & Service, recently filed an application for a citizens initiative with the Maine Secretary of State’s Office. Our goal is a statewide referendum in 2023, reaffirming our right to repair and access to all necessary vehicle data. We are collecting signatures to make the case for business competition and consumer choice, highlighting the real costs associated with a dealership-driven monopoly on auto repair. Our goal is to ask Maine voters to require car manufacturers to make real-time diagnostic and repair data accessible to others.
“Right to repair” is a positive step forward for transparency, competition and choice. The winners will be the drivers who deserve more options for auto repair, not fewer. Chances are, you’ll be a winner too.
Tim Winkeler is president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service, which operates auto repair shops across New England, including 35 in Maine. He lives in Falmouth.
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