EV makers Tesla and Rivian have expressed in writing their support for customer’s “right to repair” (R2R) agreement reached by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators), the Automotive Service Association (ASA), and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), Repair Driver News reports.
The three groups act on behalf of thousands of OEMs and repairers from the auto and collision repair sectors. The coalition agreed that customers should be able to repair their vehicles safely throughout the auto’s lifetime.
The associations, however, pointed out that equal repair access already exists. They said OEM1Stop.com, which Tesla and Rivian have signed up to, aggregates repair information from many carmakers.
The bodies decided to put out the agreement to respond to accusations in the US and Canada that OEMs restrict repair information, tools, and equipment to dealerships and regulated shops. The agreement was presented to the US Congress during a hearing on R2R.
Rivian stated that it supports independent collision shops by making repair manuals, service parts, and tools available to make repairs easy for its EVs. It added, “Rivian intends to leverage similar approaches as we increase third-party and do-it-yourself options. Finally, Rivian aims to lead in self-repair by developing features which enable third parties and individuals to increasingly perform service on Rivian vehicles. Rivian is committed to the safe service and operation of its vehicles, and we will use this as a primary design principle when enabling do-it-yourself and manuals, guides, tools, and third-party services.”
Tesla expressed its agreement with and commitment to the standards created by the industry associations. “Tesla’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy includes empowering independent repairers to service electric vehicles as the global fleet grows. Through a comprehensive library of publicly available manuals and guides, Tesla already provides extensive information for independent and do-it-yourself repairers.
“Current Tesla owners have numerous options to repair their vehicles at commercial repair facilities, including Tesla-operated repair facilities, Tesla-affiliated repair facilities, independent repair facilities, and national chains of repair providers. Additionally, a Tesla owner can conduct a range of services on their own vehicles from routine work utilizing Tesla’s Do-It-Yourself Guides, to more complex repairs described in repair manuals.”
