Fresh off of election day, Auto Care Association’s Government Advocacy session on Wednesday during the Virtual AAPEX Experience highlighted the importance of industry-wide support and action.

The session kicked off with a celebration of the overwhelming success of Massachusetts' Ballot Question 1, Right to Repair, and featured the following panelists:

·      Aaron Lowe - SVP of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Auto Care Association
·      Bill Hanvey - president and CEO of Auto Care Association
·      Michael Borr - president of Allied Auto Parts
·      Ray Pohlman - president of Coalition for Auto Repair Equality
·      Rich Benoit - owner of Electrified Garage
·      Tommy Hickey - spokesperson for Massachusetts Right to Repair committee

Right to Repair provides owners with control of their in-vehicle data. The mechanical data will be available directly from the vehicle to independent shops if authorized by the vehicle owner. Furthermore, the Right to Repair law requires a standardized open access platform on all vehicles and prohibits car companies from restricting access to OBD systems unless standardized across all makes and models.

Despite car manufacturers spending nearly $30 million in their campaign against Right to Repair, Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of Auto Care Association, explained that Right to Repair’s success was due in large part to the grassroots effort from the industry, which included support from partners such as AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, and the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality, and help from 1,600 auto repair shops.

Michael Borr, president of Allied Auto Parts, expressed his enthusiasm for the campaign's success. He shared, “It’s been a tremendous effort to get this done, and it’ll provide a lot of job security for the aftermarket. All of the marketing around Right to Repair has also helped to provide education for consumers that independent repairers are just as capable as dealerships.”

Rich Benoit, owner of Electrified Garage, an independent repair shop, added, “The passing of this legislation is huge, because it allows us to help more people and create more jobs. As an independent shop owner, this personally means a lot to me.”

Aaron Lowe, SVP of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Auto Care Association, made it clear that this is not the end of the road for Right to Repair. He commented, “The work is not done yet, though we’ve made a major step. The overwhelming support that this has gotten in Massachusetts makes it even more important that we work to implement it on a national scale.”

The second roundtable of the session focused on the presidential election and national issues that affect the automotive aftermarket. Panelists touched on trade legislation, transportation infrastructure, COVID-19 impacts, and the status of the economy. Panelists included the following:

·      Aaron Lowe - Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Auto Care Association
·      Ann Wilson - Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for MEMA
·      David Mckinney - Vice President, Government and Community Relations, Customer Satisfaction for AutoZone
·      Ian Mussleman - Senior Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs at LKQ Corporation

Since the outcome of the presidential election was undetermined at the time of the discussion and thus unable to be fully analyzed, the conversation once again emphasized the importance of advocacy. 

David McKinney, Vice President, Government and Community Relations, Customer Satisfaction for AutoZone, shared, "One of the takeaways we can have from the success of the Massachusetts legislation is that everyday individuals have the power to engage in advocacy. Elected officials need to be able to a pair a face with the issues."

Lowe emphasized the need for industry members to reach out to their legislators and to schedule meetings, if possible, in order to start fostering a relationship. He added, "You don’t want to start developing relationships when you have a problem."

When asked for tips and advice for going into meetings with elected officials, McKinney shared, "No one knows your story and your business better than you do. Be brutally honest. Go in as you are and be comfortable."