The Librarian of Congress added an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) this week which will allow third-party repair providers more ability to service vehicles.
The exemption gives them more ability to address vehicle software both for diagnostic and repair. A similar exemption already exists but is only applicable to owners themselves — third-party services were actively prevented from performing diagnostic and repair work. The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and the Association for Sustainable Manufacturing (MERA) had lobbied for include third parties in the exemption to protect consumer choice in both automotive replacement components and service.
There are limitations, however. For example, entering a vehicle’s infotainment system software cannot be to gain unauthorized access to other copyrighted works.
“While the broadened exemption permits incidental access to a vehicle infotainment system, it provides that such access is allowed only to the extent it is a necessary step to allow the diagnosis, repair, or lawful modification of a vehicle function,” the U.S. Copyright Office said.
The change is due to increasing integration of software into even the most basic aspects of vehicles.