ASA testifies before Massachusetts Joint Committee on Right to Repair

Diane Larson, owner of Larson’s Service in Peabody, Mass., and a member of the Automotive Service Association’s Mechanical Division Operations Committee, testified on behalf of ASA March 21 before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure on a Right to Repair hearing.

Larson stated: “For shops like mine that are willing to invest in the tools, equipment and training – all the information needed to repair their customer’s vehicles is available today without legislative mandates.

“While tools and information are accessible, it is important to note, however, that not every independent shop in Massachusetts today is qualified or fully prepared to service every make and model of vehicle, and understandably so. Each shop owner must make a business decision as to the investment he or she makes in the required tools and technician training to repair each brand. As you can imagine, a Ford is different than a Chevy, which is different than a Toyota, which is different than a Mercedes. All cars are different in price, in look, in design, in performance, and in diagnostics and repair, and rightly so. There can be no single silver bullet to fix every car as proponents seem to suggest.”

Addressing the proposed universal diagnostic interface, Larson said: “The concept of a non-proprietary interface for accessing diagnostic and repair information over the Internet is not a bad one, and the convenience it potentially could provide is appealing to most technicians. However, the ballot initiative as written is completely the wrong way to go about it. The initiative language – which cannot be changed at this point – limits the use of only the SAE J2534 standard forever and ever. These protocols were developed more than 15 years ago and may or may not be the future of advanced diagnostics. Why not allow for the innovation of better systems in the future? The ballot language freezes old technology with no allowance for future advancements. If the concept of a non-proprietary interface is a good one, why not allow any future SAE, ISO or other globally recognized standards that automakers develop?”

ASA opposes Right to Repair legislation and has been an advocate for a voluntary, industry solution to issues of service information availability, tool and training information.

To view testimony from the hearing, visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.c om.

ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to www.ASAshop.org , or visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com.