Summary

Requires vehicle manufacturers to give vehicle owners and independent repairers the same access to vehicle data, repair information, and tools that manufacturers provide to dealers or authorized providers. It protects owner choice over who can access vehicle data, limits manufacturers’ ability to contract around these rules, creates a federal advisory committee, directs agencies to issue implementing rules and consumer notices, gives the FTC authority to enforce violations, and preempts state or local laws on the same topics.

Key Points

• Mandates automakers provide owners and independent repairers equal access to vehicle data, repair info, and tools.
• Gives owners control to designate who can access their vehicle-generated data and places limits on manufacturer data use.
• Creates a Fair Competition After Vehicles Are Sold Advisory Committee to advise regulators and report annually.
• Directs NHTSA to require sellers to notify buyers of their rights and to complete that rulemaking within 180 days.
• Gives the FTC authority to enforce the law as unfair or deceptive practices and lays out a formal complaint and investigation process.
• Provides detailed statutory definitions to clarify covered terms and scope of coverage.
• Requires the Commission to report to Congress every two years on enforcement, industry practices, and legislative recommendations.
• Preempts state and local laws on the covered topics and includes a severability clause so other provisions remain effective if part is invalidated.

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