Massachusetts Passes New “Right to Repair” Ballot Measure for Vehicle Telematics

Picture this: You spill Coke on your Mac keyboard. You go through the stages of grief: denial, anger, steeping it in rice. But, alas, your choice is clear—accept a future typing with sticky keys...or shell out for an Apple replacement.

The “right to repair” movement aims to put an end to strict manufacturer rules around repairs and make it easier for consumers to fix their own stuff, from game consoles to refrigerators.

• After a new ballot measure passed in Massachusetts on Tuesday, that includes cars.

The measure amends a 2012 law and will offer vehicle owners and mechanics access to telematics—or wirelessly transmitted data about a car and its mechanical performance—via smartphone app.

• Until now, that information—which helps with troubleshooting and flagging maintenance concerns—has been sent to remote servers and controlled by car manufacturers. That makes third-party repairs tougher.
• The companies have until car model year 2022 to comply.

Zoom out: It’s a bipartisan issue. Democrats and Republicans alike have put their weight behind right-to-repair laws. In Europe, new legislation for phones, tablets, and laptops will go into effect in 2021. The U.S. may eventually follow suit.