Right to Repair South Africa attends Global Right to Repair meeting

Representatives from Right to Repair South Africa were in Frankfurt last week to attend the Global Right to Repair Meeting held during Automechanika 2024.

Kate Elliott, CEO of Right to Repair SA, says the meeting was attended by 30 associations representing the multi-brand vehicle aftermarket in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, South Africa and the USA, with representation from almost 20 European countries, as well as European associations representing their sectors at Brussels level.

The message from participants was very clear that globally there is an urgent need for a fair and level playing field and legislative backing to address the problems faced in the different regions of the world. “This, coupled with a robust enforcement system, is crucial to oblige vehicle manufacturers to respect more diligently the automotive laws,” they agreed.

“Associations representing independent repairers around the world face powerful and well-funded adversaries in the form of global car makers who seek to maximise profits by using their technological advantage and market power to direct consumers into their authorised dealership networks. It is, therefore, vital that the global aftermarket community should gather together to share any experiences and best practice under the Right to Repair Global banner to assist them to advocate for sector specific Right to Repair legislation to level the playing field and ensure that all car owners have the right to choose their preferred repairer. ” said Stuart Charity, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association.

Over the years, the R2R global meeting has evolved into a crucial platform for the exchange of ideas and opportunities among the associations representing the multi-brand Automotive Aftermarket worldwide. The meeting is not just a gathering, but a forum where the future of the industry is shaped. Discussing common challenges, often stemming from ambiguous behaviour by car manufacturers, has been a key element of this group.

“Right to Repair Global is a valuable opportunity for key industry representatives to come together and take action on some of the biggest issues facing the automotive aftermarket worldwide.

In Canada, much like in the European Union, there is growing recognition of the need for legislative frameworks that support data accessibility. We are working with government and key industry stakeholders to implement sector-specific automotive legislation to ensure a level playing field for independent repairers. This will empower Canadian consumers by giving them choice and control over their vehicle data, fostering innovation and competition that benefit both our industry and society as a whole,” said Jean-François Champagne, President and CEO, Automotive Industries Association Canada.

One of the common issues for independent repairers, parts distributors and suppliers is still maintaining unrestricted access to Repair and Maintenance Information (RMI), to technical information and having the freedom to use tools and spare parts. Moreover, with the advent of digitalisation and the ‘software-defined vehicle’, the challenge now involves how to access the in-vehicle generated data, the functions and resources of the vehicle, the growing issue of missing repair information for repairing the batteries of electric vehicles and the increasing parts captivity.

In this context, vehicle manufacturers can benefit from the competitive advantage to have control of the data generated by the vehicle, which allows them to control the volume and quality of the data they make available to independent service providers, restricting the digital opportunities for the businesses and the freedom of choice for the consumers.

Elliott concludes: “With car brands extending their reach to all corners of the globe, it is not surprising that many territories have experienced the same OEM tactics to corner the automotive aftermarket. The coming together of the global Right to Repair community has been a vital tool for our organisation to fight for the Right to Repair in South Africa.”