MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and Auto Care Association Applaud DOJ-FTC Joint Comment on Expanding Consumer Access to Vehicle Operational, Diagnostic and Telematics Data

MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers applauds the submission last week from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to the U.S Copyright Office supporting MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers’ petition for a new exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)’s anti-circumvention provisions, which prohibit bypassing copyright protection systems. MEMA’s proposed exemption would allow consumers to view their vehicle’s telematics data and share that data with third-party repairers.

The DOJ and FTC agreed with MEMA that providing consumers access to their vehicle’s telematics data would pose a minimal threat to copyright holders. Just as important, they agreed that this