Auto Care Association President and CEO Bill Hanvey recently attended a meeting between automotive aftermarket organizations from across the globe to discuss the right to repair, according to a press release.
Automechanika 2024, held Sept. 11 in Frankfurt, Germany, hosted 30 different groups representing the aftermarket in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, South Africa, USA, and nearly 20 European countries, alongside European associations representing their sectors at European Union’s level.
The Right to Repair Global meeting saw discussions surrounding common challenges such as maintaining unrestricted access to repair and maintenance information and the freedom to use tools and spare parts.
Specifically, a lack of information from vehicle manufacturers on repairing EV batteries and the issue of parts captivity were of concern for attendees.
The Right to Repair Global meeting saw speakers from the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association, Automotive Industries Association Canada, FIGIEFA - International federation of independent automotive aftermarket distributors, EGEA - European Garage and test Equipment Association, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India, and Right to Repair South Africa.
Representatives across these organizations all affirmed the need for legislative enforcement of independent repairers having access to critical repair data.
“Our global aftermarket associations are aligned to support regional legislation that ensures our industry has access to real-time repair and maintenance data,” said Hanvey at the event. “While many regions have Right to Repair initiatives at different stages of execution and development, our global symposium offers an opportunity to share best practices and to ensure a collective voice around the world on this issue that threatens consumer choice.”
