from the fix-your-own-shit dept
In late 2020, Massachusetts lawmakers (with overwhelming public assist) handed an expansion of the state’s “right to repair” law. The unique regulation was the primary within the nation to be handed in 2013. The replace dramatically improved it, requiring that every one new automobiles be accessible by way of a standardized, clear platform that enables house owners and third-party restore retailers to entry automobile information by way of a cell system.
The purpose: scale back restore monopolies, and make it cheaper and simpler to get your automobile repaired (with the added bonus of much less environmental hurt).
Mass. automakers instantly set to work making an attempt to scare the press, public, and legislators away from the enhancements by operating advertisements claiming that the up to date laws could be a boon to sexual predators. In addition they filed suit below the banner of the inaccurately named Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI), which stalled the invoice from taking impact for the higher a part of the final 4 years (due to what U.S. District Decide Douglas Woolock referred to as “unforeseeable and unforeseen circumstances“).
After the case was lastly transferred to a brand new choose, late final week U.S. District Decide Denise Casper in Boston dismissed the AAI’s lawsuit. Massachusetts AG Andrea Pleasure Campbell applauded the ruling. The auto trade, signaling its intent to attraction, as soon as once more lied by claiming that making automobile repairs simpler and cheaper poses a safety menace to customers:
“At present’s determination will introduce potential safety dangers to our clients and their automobiles.”
Which, once more, is fairly humorous coming from an trade with a number of the worst privateness and safety requirements in all of tech. Mozilla’s recent report on flimsy auto industry privacy standards discovered the trade routinely collects all method of delicate driver habits information (together with information in your cellphone), doesn’t adequately encrypt it, then sells entry to it to a broad number of completely different middlemen.
And the New York Instances, prompted by efforts by Senator Ron Wyden, lately unveiled how firms like GM routinely mislead customers about the scope and nature of the data collection, typically promoting delicate shopper information covertly to insurance coverage suppliers who then jack up house owners’ insurance coverage charges. The revelations resulted in wave of lawsuits.
So sure, the auto trade cares not a whit about shopper safety and privateness, till their profitable tried dealership restore monopolies are threatened, at which level they’re immediately and uncharacteristically champions of shopper welfare. Curious how that works.
Automakers aren’t alone of their efforts to attempt to demonize fashionable, bipartisan restore reforms. Apple and John Deere have additionally spent years making an attempt to defend their worthwhile restore monopolies by claiming that making entry to cheaper choices will end in an absolute parade of safety and privateness issues for customers. A bipartisan 2021 FTC study discovered the complaints to be empty, self-serving bluster.
Filed Underneath: denise casper, massachusetts, right to repair, security
Firms: alliance for automotive innovation
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