A ballot initiative approved by 75% of voters in Massachusetts has settled a complex issue with potentially significant consequences for the automotive sector: individuals who purchase a vehicle retain complete ownership of the data it generates.

This measure, known as Question 1 on the ballot, revises and expands existing legislation granting Massachusetts consumers the right to repair their own vehicles. The new law mandates that automakers selling vehicles equipped with telematics systems within the state integrate a standardized, open data platform starting with the 2022 model year. This platform must provide vehicle owners and independent repair shops with direct access to retrieve mechanical data and conduct diagnostics via a mobile application.

Crucially, this legislation encompasses data collected by telematics systems and transmitted wirelessly. Beyond simply accessing mechanical data, it empowers owners and independent mechanics to send commands to the vehicle for maintenance, repairs, and diagnostic evaluations.

Massachusetts has a history of championing the right-to-repair movement. In 2012, voters enacted a law requiring automakers to utilize a universal standard for their onboard diagnostics port—the physical connection used by dealerships to access vehicle data. This ensured that vehicle owners were no longer required to visit a dealership when a warning light illuminated and could instead consult their preferred local mechanic for diagnosis. However, this law did not extend to wirelessly transmitted data, a limitation that has become increasingly relevant as telematics systems in contemporary vehicles have grown in sophistication.

The recently passed measure has been praised by consumer advocacy groups and strongly opposed by automakers, along with some data security experts. “This represents a substantial advancement,” stated Kyle Wiens, founder of iFixit, in an email to TechCrunch. “True ownership implies the ability to repair. As manufacturers integrate more technology into vehicles, they must prioritize protecting owners’ rights to modify and independent mechanics’ capacity to perform repairs.”

The new law is also anticipated to create new business opportunities.

“This has the potential to foster a large ecosystem of applications, similar to what we see with smartphones,” explained Gartner analyst Mike Ramsey in a recent interview. For example, it could enable companies managing large vehicle fleets to more effectively monitor and maintain their vehicles.

The automotive industry’s lobbying group, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, has contended that the measure will introduce security vulnerabilities and safety concerns. Opponents of the ballot measure, including the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, have also argued that its scope is excessively broad. “A more limited version of Question 1 was rejected in California due to concerns about its unnecessary risks,” noted Conor Yunits, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, in an email to TechCrunch. 

“Automakers do raise valid points, specifically regarding the potential safety implications of introducing new software that could compromise vehicle functionality,” Ramsey commented.

The latest communication from John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, indicates that the organization will explore avenues to mitigate these risks. It remains to be seen whether the organization will actively pursue efforts to restrict the measure’s reach.