The only constant in life is change. The same can be said about technology. Case in point, this November, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts plans to include an amendment to the original Right to Repair (R2R) law passed in 2012.
The proposed revision on the state’s ballot intends to address the changing landscape of vehicle technologies as it relates to the data transmitted from vehicles wirelessly. Voting “yes” on the initiative would support a revision to the existing R2R state law to include a standard open-data platform to allow access to telematics data.
What’s missing?
While there is a plethora of information being transmitted directly from the vehicle to the manufacturer via wireless transmission – and subsequently available at dealer-level repair shops – how does the actual vehicle owner access that data? How does the vehicle owner allow another entity – like an independent repair shop – to access that data in order to service the vehicle? The original intent of R2R was to level the playing field between vehicle dealers and independent repair shops when it comes to servicing vehicles. Vehicle owners should have the right to access that data, or grant access to others to access that data, argue R2R supporters.
You may be thinking: isn’t that vehicle repair information already available? Technically, yes. But, there is a loophole in the current legislation as it stands regarding wireless transmission of information. Historically, vehicle data has been – and still is, at least currently – accessible through the standard diagnostic port on a vehicle (typically OBD-II for many vehicles, especially light duty; and HD OBD for some heavy duty vehicles). However, information transmitted from the vehicle remotely may provide additional insights.
According to Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee, which supports the initiative, the R2R amendment would require that Class 1 through 3 vehicles equipped with telematics functionality sold in the state of Massachusetts, beginning with the 2022 model year, need to have a standardized, secure, open-access platform across all makes and models to allow access to the vehicle data transmitted wirelessly. Advocates for the amendment suggest the remote diagnostics information transmitted from vehicles wirelessly is key to servicing the vehicle.
The provision goes on to advise vehicle owners would also have direct access to their vehicle data through a mobile-based application. Furthermore, the vehicle owner would be allowed to grant access to this information to any repair facility – dealer or independent.
How might it impact the national MOU?
If the Massachusetts state provision passes, it very well could impact the national R2R Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which had been developed in lieu of a state-by-state ballot initiative or an attempt to pass a bill at the federal level.
While there is a separate light duty MOU and heavy duty MOU (the HD MOU is in reference to any vehicle with a GVWR over 14,000 lbs), both advise vehicle manufacturers must be voluntarily compliant to provide access to OE-level data to consumers and the aftermarket. This includes access to diagnostic and repair information at the dealer level for 2002 and newer vehicles in the case of vehicles defined by the light duty MOU, and 2010 and newer vehicles in the case of vehicles defined by the heavy duty MOU.
The heavy duty MOU has some notable differences, driven by the seemingly infinite spec’ing options when purchasing commercial trucks. That inherently changes the processes for how vehicle data and repair access would be made available since a standardized vehicle identification number (VIN) to look up specs on an entire vehicle is not available.
Plus, if you consider that third-party telematics providers are much more heavily involved in the heavy duty segment, will their voices be added to the conversation?
Overall, we may not see much of a difference in the access to vehicle service. Or, the ripple effect to see these changes first passed in the Massachusetts state law revision may take another decade. Regardless, ours is an industry that must continue to think ahead and proactively prepare for the next generation of technology on the horizon.
