The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 48-1 on May 21, 2026, to advance the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026 (H.R. 7389), a bill that would require automakers to give independent repair shops the same diagnostic and repair data they already give franchised dealers, according to the bill text on Congress.gov.
What the bill actually does
H.R. 7389 doesn’t invent a brand-new mandate from scratch. Instead, it takes two existing industry agreements — a 2014 memorandum of understanding covering light-duty vehicles and a 2015 memorandum covering heavy-duty trucks — and writes them into federal law, according to SEMA’s summary of the legislation.
Under the bill, automakers must provide independent shops “the same diagnostic and repair information that is provided to franchised dealers,” and must use a standardized, non-proprietary interface for accessing that data on model-year 2018 and newer vehicles. The Federal Trade Commission would gain new authority to enforce the requirement with civil penalties.
How we got here
The push for a broader federal right-to-repair mandate started with the REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566), sponsored by Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), which cleared the House Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee on a voice vote on February 10, 2026 — the second consecutive Congress the bill has advanced that far, according to CollisionWeek and the Auto Care Association.
When the full committee took up the issue in May, it substituted the narrower Motor Vehicle Modernization Act for the original REPAIR Act language. Dunn, the REPAIR Act’s lead sponsor, said the substitute “does not fully reflect the original REPAIR Act and fails to protect consumers, independent repair shops and aftermarket manufacturers,” per SEMA’s reporting on the markup.
The one no vote
The lone dissent came from Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), who wasn’t objecting to the data-sharing requirement itself. His concern, according to Autobody News’s account of the markup, was that the bill’s list of preserved state laws doesn’t explicitly shield Massachusetts’s own 2020 right-to-repair statute — passed by 75% of voters — from a potential legal challenge.
Who’s pushing back
Dealer groups have opposed the broader REPAIR Act version for months. The National Automobile Dealers Association argues that opening up “third party access to telematic systems increases cybersecurity threats and road safety concerns,” and contends independent shops already have adequate access under the existing 2014 memorandum, according to NADA’s own policy statement. NADA also argues the push is driven largely by insurers looking to steer repairs toward cheaper aftermarket parts.
What it means for you
If H.R. 7389 becomes law, the practical change for car owners is narrower than the original REPAIR Act promised, but still real: automakers would be legally required — not just informally agreed — to keep independent mechanics plugged into the same diagnostic data as the dealership down the street, with the FTC able to fine automakers that don’t comply. The bill now heads to the full House floor.