On May 24, the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 2055. This legislation attempts to regulate the generation, collection, analysis, dissemination and sharing of connected-car vehicle data.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) says it opposes S.B. 2055. Prior to the hearing, ASA submitted a letter explaining its position on the bill to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Michael J. McCaffrey. In the letter, ASA’s legislative representative Robert Redding Jr., stated:

“SB 2055 is not about the ability to repair vehicles as proponents of the bill have suggested; all of the information necessary to diagnose and repair an automobile is readily available to consumers and all repair facilities. In fact, ASA in collaboration with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance) recently launched a new comprehensive online resource at OErepairinfo.com to further assist independent repair professionals and interested consumers in accessing factory tools, service information, programming software and more. And automakers have entered into a 50-state Memorandum of Understanding that ensures access to tools and electronic service information and data necessary to repair any vehicle; legislation in Rhode Island is not necessary for service and repair needs.”

To see the full text of Senate Bill 2055, visit TakingTheHill.com.