A new U.S. bill—the REPAIR Act—would require automakers to share the data, repair information, and tools independent shops need to diagnose and fix modern vehicles. Backers say “gateways” in newer cars can block that access, pushing consumers toward dealership
By the time you finish popping the hood, the hardest part may already be lost. Modern cars run on software and sensors packed into computer systems. and fixing them increasingly depends on digital diagnostics. manufacturer-specific repair procedures. and access to the right tools—often controlled by automakers.
The REPAIR Act, or the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act, is designed to change that. The bipartisan bill would create a nationwide right-to-repair standard. requiring automakers to provide car owners and independent repair shops access to the data. repair information. and tools needed to diagnose and fix vehicles.
The case being made by backers is blunt: newer cars generate repair-critical data that automakers control. Independent shops may be able to replace a part, but supporters say they can still hit a wall when the remaining steps require original equipment manufacturer-specific software and data.
Bill Hanvey. president and CEO of the Auto Care Association (ACA). says automakers are installing “gateways” in technologically advanced cars that make it difficult or impossible for independent mechanics to access the information needed to repair them. In his account, the result is not just inconvenience—it’s money.
Hanvey told Business Insider that consumers are forced back to car dealerships for some repairs. with the average cost at dealerships potentially 36% higher than what an independent car shop charges. He added that independent shops are already “up to speed. technologically. in terms of what needs to be done. ” but they remain blocked from the needed data through the gateways installed by automakers.
For some modern repairs, the gap is deeper than simply swapping a component. Hanvey pointed to newer vehicles where replacing a battery is no longer just about buying and installing the part. In those cases. the car’s computer also needs to be updated or programmed to recognize the new battery. which would require sending the vehicle to a dealership.
Independent shops have already been paying for the complications, too. Hanvey said some shop owners have spent “tens of thousands of dollars” on tools specific to each car company.
As vehicles add more advanced driver-assistance systems, repair work can expand in both scope and price. A 2026 report from CCC Intelligent Solutions. a software and data provider for auto insurance firms. found that the average total cost of repair for vehicles six years old or newer was more than 50% higher than for older cars. The report estimated average fees around $486 for work such as ADAS calibrations.
The shift changes the kind of repair infrastructure shops need. Nikhil Naikal. CEO of Kinetic. a California-based repair shop specializing in sensor calibration. told Business Insider earlier this year that modern cars require a new kind of repair system. He said. “It’s going to be more than just Jiffy Lubes and Valvolines. ” and that “You’re going to need a new kind of repair infrastructure that can actually diagnose and understand what’s wrong with it.”.
Hanvey also argued that OEM roadblocks can stretch the repair timeline. In an ACA survey of about 700 independent repair shops, Hanvey said about half reported sending three to five vehicles back to dealerships each month after spending an average of four labor hours trying to diagnose them.
Supporters say the central issue is consumer choice: car owners should be able to decide whether to take their vehicles to an independent repair shop or to a dealership.
The right-to-repair debate has recently reached the White House. After a meeting with auto industry executives on June 4. President Donald Trump said it was “strange” for the leaders to propose barring people from fixing their own cars. A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Automakers and dealers who oppose broad right-to-repair proposals argue that wider access to vehicle data and software could create safety, privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property concerns.
Hanvey said the REPAIR Act addresses some of those issues through a “parity model,” meaning that whatever manufacturers provide their dealers should also be available to independent repairers.
Still, the bill is far from law. It was voted on by voice in February to be sent to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. For it to be enacted, it would need approval from the committee, the House, the Senate, and Trump.
The basic picture that emerges from these facts is hard to miss: as cars get more software-driven. access to diagnosis and programming tools becomes a gatekeeper for who can do the work. When that access is restricted. independent shops can lose both time and money—and consumers can see the bill follow them to dealerships. The REPAIR Act is trying to reverse that outcome by forcing parity in the information and tools needed to fix today’s vehicles.
Right to Repair REPAIR Act auto right-to-repair independent repair shops car dealerships Bill Hanvey Auto Care Association gateways ADAS calibrations CCC Intelligent Solutions sensor calibration cybersecurity concerns parity model
Dealers already charge too much, so I’m for this.
Wait so they can just lock the diagnostic info?? That seems illegal somehow. I thought mechanics could just plug in and see everything.
My cousin said the issue is the “gateways” are like… a wifi thing and independents don’t know the password. If it’s that simple then why aren’t people fixing it themselves? Also dealerships being 36% higher sounds made up but I hope it’s true.
I don’t know, man. Cars already have enough sensors and computers, and now they wanna force automakers to give tools/data to random shops? What about safety and recalls and all that. But yeah I also hate when you need a dealer for a basic fix. Seems like they’re just trying to keep everyone paying for software updates forever.