Automotive Right to Repair came into being in the summer of 2012 when the Massachusetts Legislature passed Automotive Right to Repair, which then went to the Ballot where it was approved by 86%. The resulting final statute Automotive Right to Repair became law in 2013 and led the way for a National Memorandum of Understanding between the Auto Alliance (manufacturers) and several aftermarket trade associations led by Autocare.org.

We copied the success of the bill by modifying the text of the statute to remove the word “Automobile” and substituted “Digital Electronic Product”. Our template starting in 2013 includes two points we felt were left out of Auto R2R but it otherwise identical. We added a fair and reasonable limit on parts pricing, and expanded the definition of diagnostics to cover whatever that might mean in the future.

Auto R2R has indeed stumbled over how diagnostics were defined which has sent proponents back to the ballot to make sure that wireless diagnostics (known as “telematics”) are also available to independent repair shops. Massachusetts voters resoundingly approved a ballot measure in 2020 by roughly 75%/25% adding the requirement for telematics to be made available to owners and independent repair shops. The measure has been caught up in court over the implementation date.

Commercial Trucks have a similar agreement with manufacturers but does not include off-road uses such as tractors, bulldozers or heavy equipment. Holes in the Auto/Truck agreements also leave out motorcycles, RVs and snowplows proving the limitation of private agreements instead of statute.

Farmers, Construction Companies and even Foresters should wonder why they can fix their over-the-road equipment but not off-road cousins.

We encourage all auto, truck, and off-road vehicle gearheads and enthusiasts to join The Repair Association. Use your experience to guide legislators towards both Fair Repair and Copyright Reform. Restore your right to customize and repair your vehicle.