More than 83% of Americans support federal legislation giving consumers controlover vehicle repairs, according to a new national poll.
The survey, conducted by The Tarrance Group for the Coalition for Auto RepairEquality (CAR), found strong bipartisan backing for the REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566, S. 1379), which would establish a national vehicle right to repair law. The legislation would guarantee consumers' ability to choose how and where they service their vehicles.
Support crosses party lines, with 84% of Republicans and 82% of Democratsendorsing the measure. An additional 77% of respondents support the SMART Act,which would modify patent laws to expand consumer repair options.
"Vehicle owners believe they should be in the driver's seat when it comes torepairing their own vehicles and accessing their vehicle data, not the automanufacturers," said Justin Rzepka, CAR Coalition executive director.
The CAR Coalition—comprising insurance companies, parts providers, and industryassociations—argues that automakers are restricting access to vehicle data to force consumers toward original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and dealership services, where prices are higher and options are limited.
Modern vehicles generate extensive data required for many repairs, butmanufacturers control access to this information. The REPAIR Act would ensurevehicle owners and independent repair shops can access necessary diagnostic data.
The SMART Act would implement patent reforms allowing aftermarket manufacturers to produce equivalent, less expensive alternatives to OEM parts. This would increase consumer choice while reducing repair costs.
The coalition maintains that current manufacturer practices create repair monopolies that drive up costs and limit consumer options in the automotive service market.
