Automotive Repair News Today

Braxton Critcher [00:00:05]:
Today's topic is a big one, maybe the most hot button issue happening in the automotive repair industry, because I was out talking in the community with some friends of mine yesterday, and they're not in the automotive industry. And right to repair came up, I didn't even bring it up. They just brought it up themselves. And we talked about right to repair. Big issue, not just in the automotive industry around the country. That's why it's important that Lisa Foshee is with us from autocare to talk about right to repair. Lisa, thanks for being here.

Lisa Foshee [00:00:38]:
Oh, thanks for having me. I love to talk about right to repair.

Braxton Critcher [00:00:42]:
Yes. So this has been happening for quite a while, maybe a decade or so, but it's really starting to gain some traction and looks like it might actually happen soon. So give us the update.

Lisa Foshee [00:00:53]:
Absolutely. So, yes, as you mentioned, the automotive industry has been working on preserving consumers right to access their data for about a decade. But in February of last year, HR 906, the Repair act, was introduced in the House of Representatives with four co sponsors, two Republicans, two Democrats, and since that time, we've had enormous progress moving it through congressional. So I'd love to tell you and all the listeners about where we are.

Braxton Critcher [00:01:26]:
Well, take the floor. Go ahead.

Lisa Foshee [00:01:28]:
All right. So right now we've got 52 bipartisan co sponsors on the bill. And as anyone who's paying attention to Washington, DC knows, getting bipartisan agreement on any issue is virtually impossible. So the fact that we have an even number of Republicans and Democrats supporting this issue really shows how critical it is to folks like your friends, people who want to be able to fix their cars. So there's really two different groups that this bill appeals to. The first is consumers. People have their cars now for an average of 1012, 13 years, and they need to be able to fix those cars. Consumer reports shows that the vast majority of people want to take their car to their guy or gal down the street who they trust to do their car, fix their car in a quick, efficient and cost effective way.

Lisa Foshee [00:02:27]:
They don't want to take their cars to the dealerships. And so what the repair act does is it preserves you as a car owner, your right to access the repair and maintenance data you need to, to give to your local technician to keep your car running. So it's, number one, it's about consumer choice. And I think that's why it appeals so much to your friends and your neighbors and people you talk to in the community. Secondly, for all your listeners, it is an existential issue for our industry. If we can't continue to gain access to this repair and maintenance data. Our independent shops, our independent technicians, our retailers, our wholesalers, our jobbers are not going to have a job. We will not have the industry that we have today.

Lisa Foshee [00:03:21]:
We have to make sure that we can access this data and continue to make parts for and repair cars. And so that's why we are trying to get this bill through Congress.

Braxton Critcher [00:03:33]:
You feel like maybe the data has accelerated, right? To repair?

Lisa Foshee [00:03:38]:
Absolutely. I mean, what's happening is the cars are becoming so technologically proficient that the data that we used to access through the wireline OBD two port is now being transmitted wirelessly over networks like at and T and Verizon, from the car directly to the manufacturer's servers without giving us the aftermarket, an access point to that data. So there are multiple articles in the New York Times recently and other national publications that have talked about the terabytes of data that the manufacturers are pulling off of these cars. And the manufacturers are then selling it. They're selling it to insurance companies, they're selling it to other third parties without giving the consumer any right to access that data themselves. And so what the repair act says is, hey, we just want everybody to have a level playing field. We want the aftermarket to have access to the same data that the manufacturer has access to. Excuse me.

Lisa Foshee [00:04:51]:
And that they give their dealers. And then we got to go out and compete, right, as we've always done. We got to compete on service and customer relationships and coffee and waiting rooms and all the reasons people like to come to their independent shops, not to mention the skill of the technicians and shop owners that are listening to your podcast.

Braxton Critcher [00:05:12]:
So, coming from an outside perspective, kind of like mine, you know, this has been happening, like you said, for about a decade. But to me, when I've needed repair on my car, I've always had the choice without right to repair. Are you saying that that choice would soon be limited, that I would be forced to go to a certain place to get repair on my car?

Lisa Foshee [00:05:37]:
That is exactly what we're saying and exactly why this is such a critical issue. So both the aftermarket and the auto manufacturers agree on the following fact. That 70% of car repairs in this country after warranty are done in the aftermarket. We fix all the cars because people like to go to our places of business, and we have to be able to preserve that right to keep all these cars on the road, because you don't want to be forced to go to your dealership. It's far away. It's expensive. You're going to have to take a day off from work. You're going to have to get childcare.

Lisa Foshee [00:06:17]:
You're going to have to get an alternate vehicle. You don't want to do that. And so we're trying, we're saying to legislators, you make sure that people can still use the repair shop of their choice.

Braxton Critcher [00:06:29]:
And so you're saying the new technology, new data, most dealerships are going to have the right to repair those kind of cars, but independents are trying to force their way in to make sure they do as well.

Lisa Foshee [00:06:43]:
Yes, that's absolutely right. It's, you know, if you think about the Tesla model, if you think about where, you know, Tesla does not allow you to go anywhere but a Tesla, you know, authorized repair shop. Right. We don't want a world where Tesla, where the Tesla model prevails.

Braxton Critcher [00:07:02]:
Yeah. Okay, so tell me this. So in all legislation, in any sort of voting as a citizen of the state of North Carolina, United states, when somebody like myself votes, a lot of times you feel like your vote doesn't really matter because there's so many people this and that. What does a automotive repair shop, a technician, what kind of role do they actually get to play in this happening in legislation right now for right to repair?

Lisa Foshee [00:07:42]:
Oh, my gosh. I'm so glad you brought that up. Because the voices of everyone listening to this podcast are critical to getting this legislation passed. We have made enormous progress in the last year and a half. We've gotten it through the subcommittee in the House of Representatives. The next step is to get it voted out of the full committee and then take it to the floor for a vote by the entire House. And then we do the same process on the Senate side. But it is absolutely critical that your representative hear from you that this issue is critical to your shop, to your livelihood, to your employees, to your family.

Lisa Foshee [00:08:26]:
And we at the auto Care association, our job is to represent everyone listening to this podcast. And we are happy to help you make that contact, to send that letter, to have your representative come visit your shop in your district. They love to do that. They'll come, they'll visit, they'll meet your employees, they'll put the picture on their website, and you can explain to them why this is so important. But there are lots of ways for you to get involved from, as I said, sending a letter to hosting a visit. If you want to come to Washington and meet with your representative, we will help you make that happen, because I can't stress enough, just like you said, we cannot have the attitude that, well, I'm just one person. My voice doesn't count in this issue. Your voice counts, and we need you.

Braxton Critcher [00:09:20]:
What is next? If this bill gets passed, right to repair, gets put into action, what's next?

Lisa Foshee [00:09:28]:
We will implement the bill, which means that, you know, the automakers will have to start making this data available. And given their opposition to any of this, my guess is, you know, that will take a little bit of time, but we'll have federal law on our side, which will be great. And then when we get this done, the next thing on my legislative agenda is workforce initiatives. If we have right to repair and we preserved our access to the data, the next thing we need to do is make sure that we are continuing to take our industry into the future with skilled, trained, excited technicians. And so we need to leverage both state and federal government funding and programs to encourage people to come work in our industry. And so that's really what's next for us.

Braxton Critcher [00:10:23]:
Okay, well, Lisa, thanks for joining us. Appreciate you being here.

Lisa Foshee [00:10:27]:
Oh, this was great. Thank you so much. And you know, anyone who wants to get involved, please reach out, and we would love to have your help getting this done.

Braxton Critcher [00:10:37]:
Remember, you can comment on this video if you're also listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or another podcast platform, I want to hear your perspective, too. I want to hear your thoughts, and I'm sure Lisa would like to hear those as well. So be sure to comment. Subscribe to the YouTube channel. Subscribe to this podcast and your favorite podcasting platform. You'll get notifications for new episodes, episodes, new content that'll be important for you and whatever you're doing in the automotive industry or not, just like this episode. And we do appreciate you for watching this video and listening to this podcast and automotive repair news today.