HB 843 creates a new Motor Vehicle Repair subtitle in the Commercial Law Article to establish a Maryland “right to repair” framework for motor vehicles. It would require manufacturers to make available to vehicle owners and independent repair facilities the same diagnostic and repair information, tools, and related capabilities that manufacturers provide to their authorized dealers, for most model year 2002 and newer vehicles and model year 2013 and newer heavy-duty vehicles. The bill also sets rules for fair and reasonable terms, subscription access, standardized interfaces, and limited exceptions for trade secrets, immobilizer/security information, and certain proprietary tools.
The bill further addresses vehicles equipped with telematics systems. Beginning with model year 2025, manufacturers that sell such vehicles would have to install an open data platform, standardize the system across makes and models, and allow owners to easily grant independent repair facilities access to telematics information and remote commands for diagnostic, repair, or maintenance purposes. The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office would be required to develop a consumer-facing document explaining telematics systems and owner rights, and dealers would have to provide that document at the time of sale.
HB 843 also makes violations of the new subtitle an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice under Maryland consumer protection law, subjecting violations to the enforcement and penalty provisions of Title 13. Before litigation, an owner or independent repair facility must notify the manufacturer through the National Automotive Service Task Force process and give the manufacturer 30 days to cure the alleged failure; if the issue is cured, damages are limited to actual damages. The bill allows owners, independent repair facilities, and dealers to bring actions if the manufacturer does not respond or the cure is unsatisfactory.
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly pro-consumer and pro-independent repair, with the measure designed to expand access to repair data and tools and reduce manufacturer control over vehicle servicing. At the same time, the bill includes several protections for manufacturers and dealers, such as preserving trade secrets, franchise agreement terms, and certain security-related exclusions, which suggests an attempt to balance repair access with proprietary and safety concerns. No committee transcript or vote data was provided, so there is no recorded discussion or voting record to indicate broader legislative sentiment or specific opposition in the available materials.
Notable points of contention likely center on telematics access, cybersecurity, proprietary diagnostic tools, and the scope of manufacturer obligations. Independent repair advocates would likely support the open-data and tool-access provisions, while manufacturers and dealer interests may object to mandatory disclosure, standardized interfaces, and the requirement to support aftermarket access to telematics and repair systems. The bill’s carve-outs for immobilizer systems, trade secrets, and certain proprietary functions indicate those issues are central to the policy debate.
HB 843 would add a new subtitle to the Commercial Law Article governing motor vehicle repair and would amend Maryland’s unfair trade practices law to treat violations of that subtitle as consumer protection violations. It would impose affirmative duties on vehicle manufacturers to provide diagnostic information, repair tools, and certain telematics-related access to owners and independent repair facilities, while also creating notice-and-cure procedures and enforcement remedies under Title 13. The bill would affect manufacturers, dealers, independent repair shops, aftermarket tool and information providers, and vehicle owners/lessees in Maryland.
The bill appears generally favorable toward consumers and independent repair businesses, reflecting a strong right-to-repair policy. Its structure suggests support for broader access to vehicle repair data and telematics while still preserving certain manufacturer protections. Because no committee testimony or votes were provided, the available record does not show formal support or opposition, but the bill’s subject matter is typically associated with a policy divide between repair advocates and manufacturers/dealers.
The main points of contention are likely the breadth of required disclosure and access, especially for telematics systems, onboard diagnostics, and proprietary tools. Manufacturers and dealer groups may object to mandatory open-data platforms, standardized interfaces, and the requirement to make dealer-level information available to independent repair facilities on fair and reasonable terms. Independent repair advocates are likely to support those provisions, while both sides may focus on exceptions for trade secrets, immobilizer/security information, franchise agreements, and the bill’s limits on proprietary tools and customer data disclosure.