Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • ITEC
    • International Elastomer Show
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Goodyear's global footprint would get strategic boost with Cooper Tire deal
      Goodyear-Cooper Tire deal 'a transactional milestone'
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      Yokohama sets ambitious goals through 2023
    • Goodyear's global footprint would get strategic boost with Cooper Tire deal
      Goodyear-Cooper Tire deal 'a transactional milestone'
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
    • USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
      ASC seeks presenters for fall convention
      Birla Carbon again recognized for sustainability efforts
      Carlisle TyrFil out with new recycling technology
    • Zeon receives pair of ISO certifications
      Trinseo taps K.D. Feddersen to supply soft-touch elastomers
      New products: MonTech offering customized bale cutters
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Ohio firm focuses on making better masks in U.S.
      U.S. to increase NBR, make gloves using Defense Production Act
      Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled for 2022
      Tire Technology Expo canceled for 2021
    • 9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Goodyear promotes Chris Helsel, expanding his global technology, operational role
      Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Dana Inc. hires Byron Foster in executive role
    • 9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
      Conti recalling 94,000 LT/SUV tires
    • Column: Discussions of race, equality may mean uncomfortable moments
      Column: Business trips possible because of essential workers
      Editorial: Associations see opportunity for progress under new administration
      Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
    • Studying RPA ASTM methods for detecting compound quality differences
      Damage mechanism in oil and gas formulations during downhole testing
      Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Starrett expands field-of-view for multi-sensor vision system
      New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
      New products: 3M introduces new durable, pliable medical adhesive
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Goodyear's global footprint would get strategic boost with Cooper Tire deal
      Goodyear-Cooper Tire deal 'a transactional milestone'
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      Yokohama sets ambitious goals through 2023
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Sri Trang Gloves starts major capacity expansion
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
      Combined Goodyear-Cooper Tire company has tire tech, sustainability edge
      Helixtap launches new digital marketplace for rubber
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Labs of the Future: How to Choose a Laboratory Information Management System in 2021
      Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Selectâ„¢: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2021 International Latex Conference Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Automotive
November 09, 2020 12:21 PM

Independent shops cheer passage of right-to-repair issue in Mass.

Jim Johnson
Rubber & Plastics News
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    BOSTON—A Massachusetts ballot victory by independent auto repair shops to gain access to wireless vehicle repair data has issue organizers turning their attention to the national level.

    Massachusetts voters, by an overwhelming 3-to-1 margin, approved Question 1 on Nov. 3. This initiative gives vehicle owners the right to data generated by their vehicles and available wirelessly.

    Starting with the 2022 model year, car manufacturers must have systems in place to comply with the new rules. This access to information will allow vehicle owners to direct any potential repairs to shops of their own choosing instead of having to rely on dealerships.

    This latest vote builds on an initial "right-to-repair" bill that was passed by Massachusetts voters back in 2012 that first opened access to repair data but did not include so-called telematics — another word for wireless data. The latest measure closes what had become a loophole as vehicle technology has advanced in recent years.

    As part of a town hall meeting taking place during the AAPEX show Nov. 4, representatives from the aftermarket car industry spoke about the potential of using the Massachusetts win as a launching pad to work toward national adoption of vehicle owner rights.

    That's exactly what happened with the original 2012 right-to-repair Massachusetts ballot issue as vehicle manufacturers agreed to a memorandum of understanding that opened data access nationwide. That was preferable to dealing with the issue on an individual basis in 49 other states.

    "Most importantly, coming out of this, the consumers have spoken. They know that they should have choice on where and with what parts and technologies that their vehicles are repaired," said Paul McCarthy, president Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association.

    "So our industry fights for the future of the aftermarket, but also on behalf of American consumers who rely on their vehicles every day for their jobs, for their family connections, for their safety," he continued. "And in the end, that's what this is all about: consumer choice and retaining that competitive and free market. These are fundamental American values," McCarthy said.

    "Massachusetts voters have spoken with a loud voice and now we work to make this a national reality," he said.

    The Massachusetts battle was a multimillion-dollar effort, with proponents of the bill in the town hall meeting claiming automobile manufacturers spent nearly $30 million trying to defeat the measure.

    The issue has been especially important to the Auto Care Association, which took a leadership position in pushing for approval of Question 1.

    "It's a landmark piece of legislation that gives owners control of their in-vehicle mechanical data. Mechanical data needs to be available directly from the vehicle to independent shops if authorized by the owners or DIYers. It requires a standardized open access platform on all vehicles," said Bill Hanvey, CEO of the Auto Care Association.

    "The work is definitely not done. We can take a deep breath that we accomplished the first major step. And it was a major step," added Aaron Lowe, senior vice president of government and regulatory affairs at ACA. "We won the battle. People have overwhelmingly said we want choice."

    The focus now switches to auto manufacturers to see how they will comply with the new rules being established in Massachusetts, Lowe said.

    "Really, it's in the manufacturers' court to some extent right now. The people have spoken, they said they want this, customers of the manufacturers. Now the manufacturers can come to the table and work with us to implement it," Lowe said.

    "We won in Massachusetts, and it's important. But I think we all know the big prize is getting this done on a national level," he continued. "We absolute have to have data access and data control for car owners around the United States."

    The Massachusetts vote, Lowe said, will get a lot of attention on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C., in 2021.

    "I view this as a perfect opportunity to pivot," he said, "and use it as a springboard."

    Related Article
    'Right to repair' battle heats up in Massachusetts
    Auto Care Association makes data rights a priority for 2020
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • ITEC
      • International Elastomer Show
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION