FC: House bill orders Detroit to let owners tinker with their vehicles

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

The bill text:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.02735:

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Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 16:01:37 -0800
From: LR <lruss () superlink net>
To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Subject: HR 2375 IH, Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act of 2001

Hi,

This may be old news, as the bill was introduced in August 2001, but may
still be of interest.

Why is a bill about car repair of interest?

"Computers of various kinds are increasingly being used in motor vehicle
systems, such as pollution control, transmission, antilock brakes,
electronic and mechanical systems, heating and air-conditioning, sound,
and steering."


"To require the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe and enforce rules
necessary to ensure the right of a motor vehicle owner to obtain all
information required for the diagnosis, service, and repair of the motor
vehicle ."

"...the manufacturer of a motor vehicle ... shall promptly provide to
the vehicle owner, to a repair facility of the vehicle , and to the
Commission for use by any such vehicle owner or repair facility, the
information necessary to diagnose, service, or repair the vehicle ."

Now, if only we could get them to apply these same rules to DVD players.
;)

LR.




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