Jason Koebler reports via 404 Media: Maine Voters widely adopted a ballot measure Tuesday that enshrines the right to repair cars, a major victory for consumers and a blow to automakers who have spent millions lobbying against similar legislation and fighting it in court. “Question 4”, which ensures consumer access to automotive diagnostic data for repair purposes, passed with a margin of 84.3-15.7 in Tuesday’s election with 94 percent of votes cast. The yes/no question was simple: “Do you want to require automakers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide remote access to these systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair shops?” “Maine residents have earned the right to control their auto repair destiny,” Tommy Hickey, director of the Maine Automotive Right to Repair Coalition, told 404 Media. “There is new technology in cars, they have become computers on wheels, and with this law, Maine owners will be the stewards of that information.”
