Report highlights challenges with repairing connected cars

Getting car repairs are not only a hassle – they can be expensive, too. And the more high-tech cars become, there more challenging fixes can be.

A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is now shedding light on what’s commonly known as the ‘right to repair’ and the barriers for consumers and technicians.

“We talked to auto manufacturers and independent repair shops and some others and really what they told us is that vehicles are becoming more technologically advanced, and they increasingly transfer data, including some repair data, wirelessly directly to automakers and these trends may be creating some challenges for independent repair shops,” said Biza Repko, a Director for GAO’s Physical Infrastructure Team.

Those challenges can stem from an independent mechanic having limited access to a car’s data, unlike the car manufacturer.

“Most automakers have been operating under a 2014 voluntary right-to-repair agreement that generally resulted in independent repair shops having access to the information, data, and tools needed for repairs,” the report said. “However, stakeholders we interviewed, and a nongeneralizable review of a set of complaints, suggest independent repair shops may face some access limitations.”

We asked the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) about what consumers can do to ensure they get the best deal and best service when repairing a connected car.

“For most people, you know if you could trust your local mechanic or not,” said Nathan Proctor, a Senior Campaign Director for the Right to Repair for U.S. PIRG. “The best thing to do is ask them, is this something you feel comfortable fixing? It’s important to have that dialogue with different service providers to figure out what you think is best for you.”

There is now a bipartisan bill in Congress known as the REPAIR Act, which would require car manufacturers to give driver’s access to certain direct, real-time in-vehicle data related to diagnostics, repair, service and wear.

“We need some new consumer protections in the age of internet connected software dependent products,” said Proctor.

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