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- Automakers have to give dealers and repair shops access to the info needed to fix their cars.
- The dawn of higher-tech cars, especially EVs, throws a wrench in that.
- If car-buyers can only go to a dealer for service, that might mean longer waits and more expense.
Drivers might have no choice but to go to their dealer for electric vehicle service and repair — and that could mean longer waits and the death of their independent mechanic shop.
Right now, automakers have to provide access to information on how to fix internal combustion engine vehicles not just to their dealer service centers, but also to independent repair shops and other aftermarket businesses. This allows customers the right to repair their cars and customize them in a way they deem fit, at a competitive price. (Think Apple's self-service repair program.)
But that could change if automakers get their way, which has right-to-repair advocates pushing for new laws to keep independent options for customers as vehicle technology advances and EVs come into play.
EVs may not need as much maintenance and service as gas-fueled vehicles, but they will still require certain work and collision fixes. But the requirements that currently ensure carmakers detail how to go about gas-powered car repair don't completely apply to new vehicle tech.
What's going on with vehicle repair today?
A vehicle's on-board diagnostics port is useful to grab info from, but with the dawn of newer vehicles and EVs — for which automakers are starting to rely on more over-the-air software updates — mechanics also need access to more telematics info, proponents of new legislation argue.
Major US automakers, through the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, oppose this, saying the data needed to make repairs is already readily available, access to further telematics data is unnecessary, and that this could even open up cybersecurity concerns as cars are more electronic and connected than ever.
But some fear that without automakers unlocking that information, car-owners could essentially be locked into only using their franchised dealers with access to that data.
"If it was harder for an aftermarket company to have access, that would slow down any ability to make aftermarket products, it would be to slow down the ability for any repair shop to repair those vehicles," Mike Spagnola, CEO of the Specialty Equipment Market Association, told Insider.
"The dealerships couldn't handle all the business if they wanted to, the amount of repair that would need to be done," he added. "There are already dealerships where you have to wait two, three weeks to get your vehicle in. So you can imagine if independent repair shops didn't have the opportunity to work on vehicles."
What this means for EV-buyers
While the majority of a vehicle's work in its first three years of ownership goes to a dealer, that shifts to about 70% of the service going to the aftermarket as vehicles age and are no longer covered under warranties.
Tesla has shown it's possible to succeed by all but forcing customers to use its own network for service. While some Tesla information and tooling is available so repairs can be elsewhere, many Tesla owners still opt to use its in-house network. Yet many have also been frustrated with its service, locations, long wait times, and poor replacement parts inventory.
The same thing could happen throughout the industry as EV service still gets sorted out.
Even in the relatively early days of EVs, customer service satisfaction among EV-owners is already 42 points lower than among gas-powered car owners, according to the latest J.D. Power U.S. Customer Service Index study.
"As the electric vehicle segment grows, service is going to be a 'make or break' part of the ownership experience," Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power, said in a release. "The industry has been hyper-focused on launches and now these customers are bringing their electric vehicles in for maintenance and repairs."
EV service is a unique landscape to begin with, even without the repair debate. Fixes may require unique tools and equipment, and there are fewer technicians specialized in EV repair right now, both indicating more time and expense to fix them, at least in the near-term.
"The EV segment has the potential to spur massive convenience improvements in how customers service their vehicles — but we're not seeing the benefits yet," Sutton added.