U.S. Congress introduces aftermarket repair legislation

A bill guaranteeing access to OEM computer coding and repair information was tabled on August 2nd in the U.S. Congress. “The Motor Vehicle Owner’s Right to Repair Act of 2001, if passed, will preserve competition by ensuring that the independent aftermarket has access to service information, tools and independently produced replacement parts to work on all areas of the vehicle”, said Alfred Gaspar, president and CEO of the U.S. Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. The bill is supported by the AAIA, and the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA). “The increased use by vehicle manufacturers of electronics in sophisticated computers has provided many benefits to both driveability and safety. However, these advances also have brought about limits to the ability of independent aftermarket companies to provide service and develop parts for late model vehicles,” declared AWDA president Jim Eady.