Mechanics will be better equipped to detect what is wrong when your vehicle’s malfunction indicator light comes on. They will no longer be able to have obstacles put in their way by car manufacturers in order to have access to the data allowing them to carry out the diagnosis.
“This is the most important breakthrough in the last 50 years,” says George Iny, president of the Association for the Protection of Motorists (APA), bluntly. We can’t believe it. »
What’s a game changer for repair shops? The adoption, on October 3, of Bill 29 intended to protect consumers against planned obsolescence.
Alongside everything relating to household appliances and the operating life of products, the legislative piece brings the automobile giants into line: they must now agree to transmit diagnostic data allowing a motorist to have his vehicle repaired where he wants it. Quebec is the first province to act in this way.
La Presse has already reported that seemingly simple tasks, such as changing a door handle or replacing an ignition switch, are becoming increasingly complex for independent service centers. Increasingly, consumers are being redirected to the dealership – where the bill is often higher – due to the limitations of certain tools traditionally used in workshops to perform diagnostics.
“For certain Audi models, we don’t change the oil because we can’t reprogram [do the reset], says Jay Zinniger, manager of Pneus Talon. There are things we cannot do for certain clients. »
Equipped with navigation systems, voice recognition and other detection tools, recent cars are real computers on four wheels. They transmit an increasing amount of data, such as vehicle conditions, fuel consumption and engine operating hours, directly to automobile manufacturers.
For groups like the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA), which represents repair and maintenance shops, it is increasingly difficult and expensive to access this data, limiting the field of action of its members.
The law protecting consumers against planned obsolescence and promoting the durability, repairability and maintenance of goods will be a game changer. There is a catch, however: its provisions regarding diagnostic data will come into force on October 5, 2025 in principle and the regulations surrounding the application must be drafted.
“We have not yet arrived,” summarizes the president of the AIA, Jean-François Champagne. This is just the beginning. But it remains an important step. The law sends a signal that ways of doing things will have to change. »
Who should the data be transmitted to? In what ways will they be transmitted? What will the format be? For now, these are questions whose answers remain unknown.
“Do we want the data to be readable by anyone who plugs a computer into the vehicle’s [diagnostic] port? explains the lawyer. Will we need to ensure that we use certified software? There are plenty of risk areas that could allow anyone to fix anything. »
It is the Consumer Protection Office (OPC) which is responsible for drafting the regulations resulting from the adoption of Bill 29. Its spokesperson, Charles Tanguay, did not comment specifically on the case automobile repairs. In an email, he states that for “certain elements” of a regulation, “there may be consultations with experts or stakeholders.”
Unsurprisingly, Quebec law is not unanimously accepted in the automobile industry. The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVA), which brings together Ford, General Motors and FCA Canada, believes that Quebec is throwing a wrench in the pond while mechanisms are in place.
“In reality, consumers will not benefit from it,” says its CEO, Brian Kingston. There is already an agreement in force and each manufacturer charges a fee to access the data. It’s up to the workshops to make their choices. »
This is also the position of the Corporation des Concessionaires Automobiles du Québec (CCAQ). At the time of writing these lines, the Global Automakers of Canada, the group that represents brands like Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and BMW, had not responded to questions from La Presse.
The agreement mentioned by Mr. Kingston was concluded in 2009 between manufacturers and the secondary market and is based on the voluntary transmission of information. Workshops could access it through the diagnostic port (OBD2). It is not found in all electric cars. Until recently, Tesla was not part of this agreement.
Additionally, the aftermarket claims that wireless technology allows connected vehicles to transmit an increasing amount of data directly to manufacturers. This problem has not been resolved.
“This agreement [of 2009] is a voluntary commitment,” replies Mr. Iny. There is no binding means. It’s window dressing. »
The president of the APA also rejects the concerns raised by the automobile industry regarding data protection issues. According to Mr. Iny, it is up to manufacturers to set “beacons”. The network of repair workshops is already in place and the model works, he argues.
For the APA, it is not a question of new unknown players who will want to have access to vehicle data, but of certified workshops.
Three unsuccessful repair attempts for the same problem, 12 attempts for unrelated problems… If you think you left the dealership with a lemon, Quebec law can enlighten you. It defines the terms and conditions for “defective cars”. These are tools if a consumer is forced to turn to the courts to request cancellation of the contract or a reduction in the price paid. “We wonder what we’re doing here,” says the president and director of the Corporation des Concessionaires Automobiles du Québec, Ian Sam Yue Chi. Vehicles have never been built as well as today and there is already a repair ecosystem in dealerships and the aftermarket. »