ABA Webinar on Right to Repair Laws Summarized by Analysis Group Consultants
April 3, 2024
Analysis Group Manager Kirsten Clinton and Associate Nicola Babarcich have published a recap of an American Bar Association (ABA) Antitrust Law Section webinar titled “Auto Repair in the Age of Telematics.” A panel, moderated by Vice President Ishita Rajani and including Christine Todaro (Federal Trade Commission), Daniel Savrin (Morgan Lewis & Bockius), and Matthew Backus (University of California, Berkeley), engaged in a lively discussion on topics such as the potential impacts of broad right-to-repair laws on consumers, state-level developments in right-to-repair laws, and related antitrust concerns.
Dr. Rajani discussed the inherent tension between right to repair and data safety and security concerns. Mr. Savrin noted how much the landscape of safe motor vehicle repair had changed, with far more complex challenges and consequences at both the individual and, in particular, the societal level. Ms. Todaro emphasized the need for further empirical analysis of the effects of repair restrictions on motor vehicle repair options before justifying them. Professor Backus highlighted several considerations that could distinguish the economic impact of repair restrictions from a traditional economic analysis of tying practices – in this context, the partial tying of a vehicle to limited repair options. The panelists closed with practical considerations for manufacturers when evaluating the antitrust implications of their repair practices.