The ``Automobile Repair Act,'' which allows owners to repair cars, was passed by an overwhelming majority, requiring automakers to provide the same vehicle data to consumers and independent repair shops as authorized dealers.
On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, a law requiring
Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Car Right to Repair Law in Maine
https://www.404media.co/voters-overwhelmingly-pass-car-right-to-repair-law-in-maine/
Maine Question 4, 'Right to Repair Law' Vehicle Data Access Requirement Initiative (2023) - Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Question_4,_%22Right_to_Repair_Law%22_Vehicle_Data_Access_Requirement_Initiative_(2023)
On November 7, 2023, a referendum was held in the state of Maine in the United States regarding the Automobile Repair Act, which seeks the right for consumers to repair their own cars with their own hands. The poll asked a simple question: 'Would you like to require automakers to standardize in-vehicle diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and machine data to vehicle owners and independent repair shops?' Questions are being asked of residents. The number of valid votes in this vote was 84.3% in favor and 15.7% against, resulting in the Automobile Repair Law being passed with an overwhelming majority.
Maine's auto repair laws provide vehicle owners and independent repair shops with free access to the information, tools, and software they need to repair and maintain their vehicles. The law also requires automakers to provide vehicle owners and independent repair shops with the same diagnostic and repair information that authorized dealers receive. In addition, the Automobile Repair Act is said to be effective in preventing automakers from requiring the use of specialized tools and software for repairs.
A similar law requiring the right to repair cars was enacted in Massachusetts in November 2020. For this reason, foreign media outlet 404 Media said, ``The results of the vote in Maine show that consumers overwhelmingly support the right to repair in all its forms, and that consumers are being encouraged by campaigns that deny manufacturers the right to repair.'' 'This shows once again that we are not budging.'
A new law for 'right to repair' that allows you to repair your own car has been established in the United States, what exactly is innovative? -GIGAZINE
Just before a referendum on the Right to Repair Act was held in Massachusetts, automakers invested billions of yen and said negatively, ``If the Right to Repair Act is enacted, this information will be misused by stalkers and hackers.'' Implemented a campaign. Additionally, automakers waged a three-year legal battle starting in 2020 to block enforcement of the Right to Repair Act in Massachusetts.
On the other hand, those seeking the right to repair cars have raised the issue of the situation in which ``only those authorized by the car manufacturer can access a car's diagnostic information system,'' and have called for legislation. In the past, vehicles allowed access to vehicle diagnostic information through a wired port located under the steering wheel, but modern vehicles have made it difficult to access this type of data.
'Maine residents have won the right to control their own destiny when it comes to repairing their cars,' said Tommy Hickey, director of the Maine Auto Repair Rights Coalition. , it's becoming a computer on wheels. But Maine's law allows any car owner to become a gatekeeper to this kind of data.'
Regarding negative campaigns by automakers in Maine, Hickey said, ``It wasn't as intense as in Massachusetts.'' As for the reason, Mr. Hickey speculates that ``While spending 30 million dollars (about 4.5 billion yen) in Massachusetts, we could not get the desired voting results.''
Maine laws are not only important to Maine people. In the past, when states passed these types of laws, manufacturers were required to make Right to Repair features available in other states. The Right to Repair Act passed in Massachusetts was effectively a national law, as automakers signed memorandums of understanding agreeing to abide by similar laws across the United States, rather than having to deal with slightly different laws in each state. It has become a law.
The CAR Coalition , which promotes the right to repair cars in the United States, said, ``Maine voters' overwhelming support for the Auto Repair Act adds momentum to the nationwide movement to pass protective legislation.'' 'It was,' he commented. The CAR Coalition will continue to fight for the right to repair cars across America through bipartisan legislation like the SMART Act and the REPAIR Act, ensuring that all Americans, no matter where they live, have access to the cars they own. We are seeking the right to repair the problem.
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