The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), along with its divisions, recently requested clarification on a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) exception.
DCMA is designed to protect copyright law in the digital world.
MEMA and its divisions, the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and the Association for Sustainable Manufacturing (MERA), said clarification on the exception would protect consumer choice by allowing independent repair facilities to access and service vehicle software.
The U.S. Copyright Office needs to issue a narrow exemption for vehicle diagnosis, repair, or modification that communicates the intent of the current vehicle repair exemption, MEMA said. The current exemption was adopted after the sixth triennial review. It says, “circumnavigation is a necessary step undertaken by the authorized owner of the vehicle to allow the diagnosis, repair or lawful modification of a vehicle function.”
“This is an important issue for MEMA, AASA, and MERA, striking at the heart of consumers’ freedom to choose where their vehicles are maintained and how they are repaired,” Bill Long, MEMA executive vice president of government affairs, said. “We will continue to work with the U.S. Copyright Office to ensure that the voice of automotive aftermarket suppliers is heard on this issue.”
MEMA previously submitted comments on DMCA in December.