BETHESDA, MD – April 30, 2010 – Sens. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and John Kerry (D-MA) have become co-sponsors of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (S 3181) which was recently introduced into the Senate by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sam Brownback (R-KS).
“We want to thank Sens. Dodd and Kerry for supporting this very important piece of pro-consumer and pro-small business legislation,” said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). “The top priority of the Right to Repair Act is motoring consumer safety, ensuring that motorists know what is happening with their vehicles. The bill simply requires that vehicle manufacturers provide car owners and their trusted neighborhood repair shops with the same access to the same safety alerts, technical service bulletins, diagnostic tools and repair information they provide to their dealer network – nothing more, nothing less.”
The Right to Repair Act protects motoring consumers from a growing and potentially hazardous vehicle repair monopoly by requiring that car companies provide full access at a reasonable cost to all service information, tools and safety-related bulletins needed to repair motor vehicles, thus leveling the competitive playing field between dealerships and independent repair shops. The legislation further provides car companies with strong protections for their trade secrets, only requiring them to make available the same diagnostic and repair information they provide their franchised dealers.
“The Right to Repair Act does not cost tax payers money, does not create a new agency and, more importantly, does not ask taxpayers for a bailout,” said Ray Pohlman, president of the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE). “This bill keeps motorists in the driver’s seat by making sure that they, and not the vehicle manufacturers, have the final say on where a car is taken for service.”
The House version of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) was introduced by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA) and currently has 61 co-sponsors.
About Right to Repair:
The Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act, which was introduced by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA), would require car companies to make the same service information and tools capabilities available to independent repair shops that they provide their to their franchised dealer networks. The legislation further provides car companies with strong protections for their trade secrets unless that information is provided to the franchised new car dealers. The bill clarifies the responsibilities of the Federal Trade Commission in enforcing the bill’s requirements. For more information about the Right to Repair Act, visit www.righttorepair.org.
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