WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce has voted H.R. 906 — the "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act" — out of committee along with 15 other related pieces of legislation.
The bipartisan bill — introduced in February by U.S. Representatives Neal Dunn, R-Fla., Brendan Boyle, D-Pa.; Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash. — moves to the Energy & Commerce Committee for further deliberation.
The Energy & Commerce Committee can now consider the proposed legislation, which is designed to improve product safety, secure supply chains, bring consumer transparency on hidden fees and protect consumers' right to repair their motor vehicles.
According to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) — which is a vocal backer of the bill — the legislation would ensure that the aftermarket industry will have access to the tools and repair information necessary to produce and install parts used to repair cars, trucks and SUVs that we love as an industry.
SEMA said it also is seeking changes to the bill, including:
- Measures to prevent vehicle manufacturers from employing any technological, legal or cryptographic barriers that impede the ability of an aftermarket parts manufacturer or a vehicle repair facility to produce or install aftermarket parts and software that are custom or modify a vehicle.
- An amendment to the bill's cybersecurity provision to ensure that motor vehicle owners and their designees can access cryptographic or technologically protected vehicle-generated data and safety-critical vehicle systems.
- An amendment to how the bill defines "critical repair information and tools" to include advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) recalibration necessary to return a vehicle to operational specifications.
The bill currently has 46 co-sponsors (23 Republicans and 23 Democrats).
