AIA to seek legislated solution to vehicle data issues

AIA President Jean Francois Champagne addresses the association’s annual general meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

The Automotive Industries Association of Canada is pledging to press the federal government for legislation that would guarantee aftermarket access to vehicle data, as well as service information to repair the next generation of connected and autonomous cars.

Calling the existing Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard (CASIS) outdated, AIA president Jean Francois Champagne said the association is prepared to lobby hard for a more sustainable solution.

“Our view is that the current voluntary agreement on right to repair does not ensure access to telematics data from connected cars,” he said. “So, our stated goal is to secure legislation to ensure direct access to vehicle data for the aftermarket.”

The comments were part of his report to AIA members at the association’s annual general meeting, held in Mississauga on Wednesday, May 8.

He said, the AIA board of directors has earmarked $250,000 from AIA reserves to pay for lobbying and research efforts designed to ensure the viability of the aftermarket in the “new mobility” era.

“The CASIS agreement, as it exists today, does not provide for a way for the future,” he said in an interview after the meeting. “When you look at the CASIS agreement as it was written years ago, it was built around the concept of the vehicle we were servicing 10 years ago. Now we’re looking at a new and very different fleet of vehicles.”

He described the issue as a critical one for the industry.

“If there were an opportunity to sit down with auto makers and relook at the CASIS agreement and revamp it, we would participate, but at this time we don’t believe a voluntary agreement is the most sustainable path.”

He conceded that legislation can be “a long and painful process” which is why the association is scouring regulations that can be amended to ensure that aftermarket repairers are not locked out of vehicle telematics or service information.

“When you look at reforming existing regulations, it is much more flexible and agile solution,” he said.