• A federal judge dismissed automakers’ legal challenge to Massachusetts’ right-to-repair bill.
  • Voters had approved a bill allowing third-party access to telematics and connected car services.
  • Automakers argued the law would compromise security, but the court rejected their claims.

Data falls into the wrong hands all too often these days and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation used this as the main reason why third-party repair shops shouldn’t have data access for the purposes of repairing cars. However, a federal judge denied the group’s challenge on Tuesday and dismissed its case. While the fight isn’t over regarding the right to repair cars at independent shops, this marks progress for the movement.

This whole story started back in 2020 when Massachusetts passed a bill enabling third-party access for independent auto shops. The bill also made it a requirement to tell car buyers about their ability to service their vehicles outside of the brand network. The alliance challenged the law almost immediately.

Read: Guess How Much It Costs To Repair This Rivian R1T

According to Reuters, they claimed it would degrade the security already in place for automakers and consumers alike. In addition, the lobbyist group believes that the new bill could fall afoul of federal laws too. On the flip side, the state argued that the law enables the automakers to route all of this data through a standardized third party that could maintain the same level of security currently available without creating a greater risk to the public or breaking any federal laws.

Of course, what the Alliance for Automotive Innovation seems to forget is that data is out there even when third parties don’t have access. The automotive industry as a whole appears rife with security flaws. While the solution certainly isn’t “give everyone the keys to the kingdom,” it also isn’t “lock everyone out of the kingdom but the kings.” In addition, automakers already share sensitive data and access points with locksmiths too.

The case began back in 2021 with a totally different judge before being moved to Judge Denise Casper, who dismissed it. For the time being, the decision is sealed to give both parties the chance to redact information within it. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation says it plans to appeal the case.