United States. On Tuesday, associations representing independent car repairers, collision repair experts and automakers signed an agreement on the right to auto repair.
In response, MEMA's president of aftermarket suppliers, Paul McCarthy, said in a letter to MEMA members that the agreement "does not achieve all the protections necessary to ensure consumer choice now and in the future."
In the agreement, the Automotive Services Association (ASA), the Society of Collision Repair Specialists and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation affirmed a 2014 national agreement on the right to automotive repair, agreeing that "independent repair facilities will have access to the same diagnostics and repair information that automakers make available to authorized dealer networks."
The group also wrote a letter to Congress outlining its agreement, saying, "This commitment was created with our mutual and valued customers in mind: vehicle owners. It states that consumers deserve access to safe and proper repairs throughout a vehicle's lifecycle, (and) is built to last because it anticipates changes in automotive technologies and market evolution."
McCarthy added in his remarks that MEMA's aftermarket suppliers, as key stakeholders in protecting consumer rights and an essential part of the value chain, should be part of the conversation around a suitable 50-state solution.
He touted the Federal Repair Act, which has garnered bipartisan support this legislative session, as a solution that creates a repair ecosystem that puts consumers at the center.
McCarthy added, "MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers welcomes the opportunity to work with industry associations and Congress, as well as the Auto Care Association and SEMA, to align on a federal solution that reflects the principles of consumer choice and a free market, includes the expertise of the supplier community, has a mechanism for real compliance, and puts consumers first, its safety and its economy, and the innovative industry we serve."
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