BOSTON, (Reuters) – A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by a group representing automakers to a Massachusetts voter-approved measure that expanded access to vehicle data and allowed independent shops to repair increasingly sophisticated automotive technology.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston marked a defeat for the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade association representing General Motors, Volkswagen Stellantis , and other automakers that challenged the law.
The group sued after voters in November 2020 approved a ballot measure revising the state’s 2013 “Right to Repair” law to require automakers to provide expanded access to mechanical and electronic repair data.
The Washington-based alliance in a statement said it was evaluating its options to appeal the ruling, saying it continued to believe the Massachusetts Data Access Law was at odds with the U.S. Constitution.
“Today’s decision will introduce potential security risks to our customers and their vehicles,” the group said.
Unprecedented advancements in modern vehicles and crash avoidance systems have prompted many automakers to limit information and warranties to only parts and repairs from authorized dealers to ensure safety and privacy.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation argued the measure impermissibly forces automakers to degrade cybersecurity controls related to safety- and emissions-critical vehicle functions.
The group claimed the measure unconstitutionally conflicted with federal laws governing those functions, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Clean Air Act.
The office of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, a Democrat, countered that the measure allowed manufacturers to establish a standardized system run by a third-party to authorize access to diagnostic systems by independent repair shops.
The lawsuit had gone to trial before a different judge in 2021. Following a four-year wait for a decision from U.S. District Judge Douglas Woolock, the case was reassigned in January to Casper, who moved to quickly resolve it.
Casper, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, on Tuesday dismissed the trade group’s claims. She temporarily sealed her decision so the parties could discuss whether any aspects of it should be redacted.
Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Bill Berkrot
