The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has written off a voluntary agreement signed by auto industry stakeholders as “a total failure.”
The Heads of Agreement – Access to Service and Repair Information for Motor Vehicles was introduced in December 2014 in a bid to offer independent workshops access to repair and service data via portals from stakeholder organisations.
The result? Reportedly GM Holden emerged as the only major car company to allow access to data despite other major manufacturers signing on to the agreement.
AAAA executive director Stuart Charity confirmed that there has been little to no engagement with independent workshops following the introduction of the agreement 15 months ago.
“A handful of other manufacturers have made some repair and service data available via portals, while the rest have ignored the agreement entirely.
“The Federal Government optimism for this voluntary process was badly misplaced.
“The failure of almost all vehicle manufacturers to meet the terms of this agreement is particularly disappointing given the same companies currently share this data with independent workshops in America, Canada and Europe.”
Charity also believes that it's time for the government to step in and push for an a mandatory agreement.
"To ensure Australia’s 13.1 million car owners also have an open and competitive market for vehicle service and repair, it is now clear the industry must operate under a mandatory data sharing system.
“The Federal Government must introduce a National Automotive Repair and Servicing Portal to maintain a competitive market for consumers.”
The AAAA is now encouraging independents to engage with MPs to push for changes to current systems ahead of the federal election.