Automakers Push To Gut Maine's Right To Repair Law
The legal challenge closely resembles a suit filed in Massachusetts in 2020 - a case that remains unsettled more than four years later.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation , an automotive industry lobbying group, filed a lawsuit to block Maine’s newly enacted automotive right to repair law, arguing that -as written- the law is unenforceable and conflicts with the federal Vehicle Safety Act.
The lawsuit was filed on January 31st in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine against Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey. It follows a similar suit filed in late 2020, after Massachusetts - like their neighbors in Maine - overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure expanding that state’s existing vehicle right to repair law to give owners and independent repair shops access to vehicle telematics systems.
In the suit, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (autosinnovate.org) challenges Maine’s Right to Repair law, known as the Data Law (29-A M.R.S. § 1810), arguing that it is impossible to comply with, conflicts with federal law, and is unconstitutionally vague.
Contents:
Already, 20 States Have Active Right to Repair Legislation in 2025
Why Modern Cars Are Going To Age Horribly, And What We Can Do About It
Army Secretary Nominee Supports Military Right to Repair
Consumers are gaining the Right to Repair. Are you ready?
Australian Farmers Abandon Voluntary Deal, Want a Real Right to Repair
Intel Shows Support for Modular PC Design
The Right to Repair Supports More Than Just Sustainability and Affordability
Québec Seeks New Law Covering Warranties, Replacement Parts and Repair Services
“This is an example of putting the cart before the horse,” the Alliance said in a statement on its website. “Before automakers can comply, the law requires the attorney general to first establish an ‘independent entity’ to securely administer access to vehicle data. The independent entity hasn’t been established. That’s not in dispute. Compliance with the law right now is not possible.”
Maine’s law, passed by 84% of voters, requires that manufacturers provide access to a vehicle’s mechanical data via a standardized, owner-authorized access platform by January 5, 2025. The platform must be administered by an “independent entity,” according to the language of the law.
However, in the immediate aftermath of the ballot measure’s passage, automakers challenged the law, pushing Maine legislators to pass measures weakening the law. A proposed bill (LD 1911) would have stripped key provisions from the law, including giving owners direct access to wireless repair information, oversight by the Attorney General, and due process for disputes. The bill died in committee in the Maine Senate in April.
Since then, however, the state government has struggled to fulfill the requirements of the law. As TechDirt notes: that’s due in part to vague language which required the creation of the Maine Automotive Right to Repair Working Group to lay out the contours of the law and help build an independent entity to govern vehicle data transmitted to independent repair shops. But it also the product of intense pressure from auto industry groups to weaken the law.
In many ways, the Maine lawsuit closely mirrors the suit filed in Massachusetts in 2020: arguing that the law conflicts with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Vehicle Safety Act) because it could require manufacturers to remove cybersecurity protections, making vehicles vulnerable to hacking.
Proponents of auto right to repair laws have responded by noting that the Vehicle Safety Act does not specify any vehicle cybersecurity requirements that the law runs afoul of.
In June 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warned that the 2020 Massachusetts law might run counter to federal law, but NHTSA backtracked two months later, saying that the ballot measure could be implemented with some minor modifications.
Lina Khan, the FTC Chair under the Biden Administration, said in an interview in February 2024 that there was little evidence to support the industry’s claims of cyber risks. “There’s really nothing behind these claims and that oftentimes they were grossly inflated," Khan said. "They were using scare tactics to try to deprive independent shops from getting access to this data."
The lawsuit asks the court to declare Maine’s auto right to repair law unenforceable due to impossibility of compliance, constitutional vagueness, and conflict with federal law, and to issue an injunction preventing the Attorney General from enforcing the law until the necessary independent entity is created and manufacturers have time to comply.
In the meantime, a new bill, HB 192, was filed on February 3rd. If passed, it would require the state to implement the Automotive Right to Repair Working Group Recommendations.
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Other News
Already, 20 States Have Active Right to Repair Legislation in 2025
2025 is shaping a promising year for the right to repair, a report from PIRG, the Public Interest Research Group, finds. As of early 2025, twenty U.S. states have introduced active right-to-repair bills covering a range of products from consumer electronics to agricultural equipment. This legislative momentum underscores a nationwide push to grant consumers and independent repair shops access to necessary parts, tools, and information. Advocates argue that such laws are crucial for consumer rights, environmental sustainability, and economic fairness, challenging manufacturers' restrictive practices that limit repairs to authorized providers.
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THEAUTOPIAN.COM
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Army Secretary Nominee Supports Military Right to Repair
Dan Driscoll, the nominee for Secretary of the Army, has expressed strong support for the military's right to repair its own equipment. Acknowledging the current dependence on manufacturers for repairs, which can lead to costly delays, Driscoll advocates for empowering service members to perform maintenance and repairs independently. This stance aligns with broader right-to-repair initiatives, emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency, cost savings, and operational readiness within the military.
PIRG.ORG
Consumers are gaining the Right to Repair. Are you ready?
MIT’s Sloan Management Review profiles the growing right to repair movement, telling readers that “the legal landscape is changing.”
”Consumers and their advocates who are reasserting traditional rights of ownership are behind new legislation ensuring the right to repair one’s own devices…Right-to-repair laws have passed in California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon, and bills are currently active in 30 state legislatures. The European Union adopted a new set of right-to-repair rules in 2024.”
The emerging regulatory landscape is pushing manufacturers to “redefine their relationship with consumers as a preferred service provider,” instead of forcing their hand using software locks and restrictive end user license agreements, Sloan writes.
MIT Sloan Review
Australian Farmers Abandon Voluntary Deal, Want a Real Right to Repair
Frustrated by ineffective voluntary agreements, Australian farmers are demanding enforceable right-to-repair laws. Current arrangements with equipment manufacturers have failed to provide timely access to necessary tools and information, leading to costly delays during critical farming periods. Farmers argue that without legal mandates, manufacturers have little incentive to support independent repairs, leaving them dependent on authorized services that are often slow and expensive. A genuine right-to-repair framework is essential to empower farmers, promote competition, and ensure the sustainability of agricultural practices.
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Intel Shows Support for Modular PC Design
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Intel said it aims to extend the lifespan of devices and empower users to perform their own repairs. This approach not only benefits consumers by lowering costs but also aligns with environmental goals by minimizing discarded electronics. Intel's support for modularity reflects a growing recognition of the importance of design choices that facilitate maintenance and uphold the right to repair.
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The Right to Repair Supports More Than Just Sustainability and Affordability
In a new post, the Free Software Foundation emphasizes that the right to repair is fundamental not only for sustainability and cost savings but also for software freedom. When devices run proprietary software, users are restricted from studying, modifying, or sharing improvements, hindering repair efforts and perpetuating dependence on manufacturers. Advocating for the right to repair aligns with the broader mission of ensuring that technology serves its users, promoting autonomy, and preventing e-waste by extending device lifespans.
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Québec Seeks New Law Covering Warranties, Replacement Parts and Repair Services
Québec has released a draft regulation under Bill 29, mandating that merchants and manufacturers disclose information about the availability of replacement parts and repair services. The regulation requires that products necessitating maintenance must have accessible parts and services for a reasonable period, and that necessary repair information be available in French. This move aims to protect consumers from planned obsolescence and ensure transparency, allowing individuals to make informed decisions and maintain their products effectively.
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