Quality Parts Coalition Lauds White Paper Demonstrating Impact of Potential Car Parts Monopoly on America's Seniors

Study Underscores Need for “Access to Repair Parts Act” Following Congressional Hearing on Design Patents and Auto Replacement Parts

WASHINGTON —The Quality Parts Coalition, an 80+ member organization representing America’s consumers and seniors, the independent parts industry, repairers and insurers, today applauded the release of a white paper by the Senior Center for Health & Security that demonstrates the devastating impact of a car parts monopoly on America’s senior citizens.

The study, entitled “Warning! Consumers at Risk! Will America’s Seniors Lose the Right to Repair Their Cars and Buy Affordable Repair Parts?” was unveiled shortly before the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee heard testimony in support of the “Access to Repair Act (H.R. 3059/S. 1368) on March 22. Consumer advocates and industry experts showcased why the “Access to Repair Parts Act” provides a strong and equitable solution to curbing car companies’ attempts to monopolize the marketplace.

In recent years the car companies have been securing an increasing number of so-called “design patents” on individual crash parts of vehicles. According to the white paper, if these patents are enforced, this looming monopoly could send insurance premiums soaring and possibly force seniors to delay, or even forgo, vehicle repairs. The paper concludes that “without competition, prices always increase and consumers always lose – none more than seniors on fixed incomes. With no competition in the marketplace, the increase in the price of repair costs will make it harder for consumers to have their cars repaired instead of totaled. This will force many consumers to replace what would have been a repairable older vehicle with an expensive new car.”

Eileen A. Sottile, executive director of the Quality Parts Coalition noted, “As America’s population ages, the ‘Access to Repair Parts Act’ is needed now, more than ever, to ensure that our nation’s seniors are not forced to bear the tremendous burden of increased insurance premiums and costly repairs.”

Thair Phillips, president of RetireSafe, a QPC member, observed, “The Senior Center for Health & Security’s white paper confirms what we’ve already known for many years: an increase in ‘totaled’ vehicles will have a disproportionate impact on older and low-income Americans who tend to drive older cars and are the least able to purchase new vehicles. America’s hard-working seniors, who for years contributed to the economic health of our nation, will be the losers in a car company parts monopoly. It’s time we give them a break.”

Introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), the “Access to Repair Parts Act” (H.R. 3059/S.1368) would create a narrow exception in the U.S. design patent law for purposes of restoring a vehicle to its original condition.

Join the many voices who have already urged Congress to pass the “Access to Repair Parts Act.”

Visit www.qualitypartscoalition.com/advocacy.

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The Quality Parts Coalition represents the interests of the independent parts industry, repairers, insurers, consumers and seniors. It is the goal of the Quality Parts Coalition to develop and secure a permanent legislative change to U.S. design patent law to preserve competition and to protect the consumer’s right to benefit from quality, lower-cost alternative replacement parts.

For more information, visit www.qualitypartscoalition.com.