NHTSA Says Automakers Don't Have To Comply With Massachusetts' Right To Repair Law

Photo: Steven Senne (AP)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently in a tiff with Massachusetts over a right to repair law that conflicts with federal regulation. The U.S. agency told nearly two dozen automakers that they don’t have to comply with a state law mandating open access to vehicle data, and that they should comply with federal vehicle safety laws instead, according to Reuters.

Forget Autonomy, Drivers Still Want Control

In 2020, voters in the state — pardon me, commonwealth — of Massachusetts were largely in favor of a ballot measure that gave independent repair shops access to data that was only available to dealers and manufacturers. The law was meant to give indie shops in ’Mass the ability to tap into vehicle telematics, including diagnostics and other vehicle-generated data that is sent remotely to dealers and automakers.

This would let vehicle owners seek maintenance and repairs from a mechanic or shop of their own choosing rather than force them to go to dealerships, which often have higher labor rates than independent shops. But NHTSA says the state law should be ignored due to significant safety concerns, per Reuters:

The NHTSA said a malicious actor “could utilize such open access to remotely command vehicles to operate dangerously, including attacking multiple vehicles concurrently.” Massachusetts is seeking to enforce a 2020 ballot initiative that was overwhelmingly approved by voters.

NHTSA added that “open access to vehicle manufacturers’ telematics offerings with the ability to remotely send commands allows for manipulation of systems on a vehicle, including safety-critical functions such as steering, acceleration, or braking.”

The agency claims that hackers could break into vehicles that conform to the Massachusetts open data law, and even goes on to say that these open data cars essentially contain a safety defect.

It seems NHTSA now wants dibs on the regulation of vehicle data, which is becoming increasingly complex (read: costly) and difficult to parse for smaller shops. Sophisticated computer systems are making diagnostics and repairs for many modern cars the exclusive purview of dealerships, and that shrinks the repair market down, putting car owners at the mercy of dealer labor rates.

It’s unclear whether major automakers will choose to comply with federal laws or those of the commonwealth, but it’s likely they’ll side with the feds rather than observe any states’ rights.