by Joe McDonald, JASPER Executive Vice President of Sales

Senator Mike Braun (left) shaking hands with
JASPER VP of Sales Joe McDonald (right).

During the meetings, we interacted with almost 20 senior legislative representatives from both political parties. The fact that there was bipartisan support for the bill is noteworthy and gives us the feeling we’re making progress. We found the staff members to be knowledgeable about the bill, well-prepared, and engaged. They understand consumers want the ability to choose where to take their vehicle for repair. However, throughout the day, we heard concerns the OEM had shared regarding proprietary information, cybersecurity, and data ownership.

It is no longer just local dealers sharing information to fix vehicles; the scope now includes determining ownership of the data gathered by modern vehicles. During our debriefing sessions, we realized a significant portion of our time was spent addressing concerns raised by the OEM that were intended to misinform. Auto Care, SEMA, and MEMA all emphasized the aftermarket industry has no interest in accessing personal information. They stressed the importance of owner consent in such matters.

We advocate for OEMs to be mandated to share information with independent repair shops, manufacturers, and fleets to facilitate vehicle repairs. Accessing such information often relies on costly subscription-based models, making it challenging to obtain all necessary data. The Aftermarket understands the right of O.E. to charge for this information. However, the lack of alternatives for the aftermarket industry underscores the necessity of legislation like H.R. 906.

As a Jasper Engines and Transmissions representative, I will continue these efforts on behalf of our Independent Repair shop and Fleet customers. The concerns go beyond just the repair data; they also include the choices a consumer will have for parts as well.

A recent passing of a Right to Repair Bill in Maine sets a precedent, with several other states pursuing similar measures. We urge everyone to contact their U.S. House of Representatives and request support for H.R. 906. We encourage you to visit the Auto Care website and click the “Take Action” link to contribute to our efforts to achieve this goal.

Editor’s Note: The Auto Care Association website is www.autocare.org.