US-MA legislative alert: Right To Repair bill

[Brett Dikeman]

http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/186/ht00/ht00282.htm
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/02/right_to_repair.html

It just cleared committee- and moves to voting/discussion THURSDAY in
the MA Senate.

If you live in MA, PLEASE WRITE YOUR STATE SENATOR NOW.  Fax, email,
call, whatever (actual written notes tend to impress the most.)  Call
'em too, even if you write.  Get your local independent mechanic to do
the same.

As someone who owns a (non-Audi) vehicle which suffers from pretty
horrendous manufacturer lock-in on diagnostics, repair info- even
firmware (a problem when modules/parts bought from the manufacturer
have no firmware, and firmware is coded to individual vehicles!) this
IS A PROBLEM.

 Manufacturers are doing everything in their power to lock out (or
'tax') both owners and indie shops and non-dealer service chains.  A
couple years ago Audi was working on piezo-electric bolts for
assemblies...which would only operate with tools that authenticated
themselves to the BOLT!  Some day you may not even be able to take
apart your car without paying a license fee.  They are fighting the
'right to repair' movement tooth and nail, claiming it would expose
trade secrets and (horrors!) allow other companies to MAKE PARTS and
COMPETE!   I can hear your screams of horror now at the thought of
facing CHOICE when buying parts...

There's a large coalition of parts/service/small business associations
and chains behind this push, and we can only benefit as owners (I hate
the word "consumer") and DIY'ers. Check in your state to see if
there's a similar bill afoot.  More info on the coalition:
http://www.righttorepair.org/


-Brett