In 2023, more than 80% of Maine voters backed the Automotive Right to Repair law. That’s not a typo — over 4 out of 5 Mainers supported it. But according to a recent op-ed (“Mainers’ vehicle data is wrongly at risk,” July 15), we were all bamboozled by “out-of-state interests.” Right.

Because rural mechanics and ordinary folks who don’t want to be price-gouged by dealerships clearly don’t know what’s best for them. Mainers know what they voted for. They voted for direct access to their own repair information so they could make informed decisions on where to get their car repaired.

Here’s what the auto industry won’t say out loud: it wants to maintain a monopoly on wireless car data. Period. And it’s using scary phrases like “vehicle-generated data” and “independent entity with no oversight” to distract you from what this fight is really about — continuing its monopoly of money and control. That notion is what LD 1228 would implement — it would allow car manufacturers to maintain control of “your” data. That’s not what 84% of Mainers voted for.

Let’s break it down. The 2023 Right to Repair law explicitly states that only repair-related data — not personal data like your contacts or driving habits — can be accessed, and only with your consent. If your mechanic wants to see your tire pressure, diagnostics or error codes, you’re able to authorize them. It becomes an owner-authorized platform, which makes you the gatekeeper of your own repair information.

LD 1228 was a watered-down gift to carmakers. Although LD 1228 was said to put Maine in line with “federal policy,” there is no federal law or even a proposed bill that includes the language contained in LD 1228. Further, LD 1228 strips the “owner-authorized standardized platform” that would ensure you, Maine car owners, could have your car fixed anywhere you want regardless of the make or model.

If LD 1228 were to become law, 26 different car manufacturers would have 26 proprietary methods of fixing a car and it could cost independent repair shops and consumers thousands to make a full repair of the car.

If manufacturers cared about your privacy, they wouldn’t be collecting and monetizing this data in the first place. Ever read your vehicle’s terms of service? Automakers already vacuum up your location history, driving behavior, even how loudly you listen to music. The privacy argument is a smokescreen.

The 2023 vote was  simple: Maine voters knew what they were asking for. They wanted to make sure they, the vehicle owner, not some distant corporation, had direct access to their own repair information and be able to shop around to a local repair shop or dealership of their choice. Let’s be clear: this is about survival for hundreds of independent repair shops across the state, many in rural areas where the nearest dealership is 80 miles away. The 2023 Right to Repair law ensures these small businesses can keep your car on the road without having to beg Detroit for permission.

LD 1228 wasn’t a compromise — it was a rollback disguised as reform. That’s why the automotive aftermarket, consumer groups and Maine independent repair shops were among those opposing it. Gov. Mills was right to press pause.