July 19, 2019—The Auto Care Association testified before the Federal Trade Commission Tuesday during a public workshop on policies and research related to manufacturers limiting third-party repairs.
During the workshop, Senior Vice President Aaron Lowe discussed the independent auto care industry’s involvement in the national Right to Repair agreement as well as efforts to combat attempts by automakers to restrict the use of non-OEM parts and services.
“The value of the independent auto care industry is demonstrated by the fact that 70 percent of car owners bring their vehicle to independent service providers after their warranty expires based on price, trust, and convenience,” said Lowe. “The Auto Care Association and Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE) played major roles in the industry’s Right to Repair efforts… which require car companies to provide access to the same tools, information and software that they provide their franchised dealers.”
Lowe emphasized that notwithstanding the benefits to the auto care industry and consumers brought on by Right to Repair, the memorandum of understanding does not, nor was it intended to, solve all problems facing the independent auto repair industry.
Finally, He expressed hope that this was not the end of a process, but rather the beginning of FTC-led efforts to ensure a competitive repair industry for both consumers and small- and medium-sized businesses.
