News Release

For Immediate Release
12-18-01

For more information, contact Rich White, (301) 654-6664.

CARB Approves Diagnostic II System Regulations

BETHESDA, MD-December 18, 2001 -- The California Air Resources Board approved a series of regulations on Dec. 13, 2001 concerning on-board diagnostic II systems. CARB now requires that car companies permit independent aftermarket access to all service information and tools necessary to provide service and parts for late model vehicles equipped with the on-board system. The regulations put into action requirements enacted in September 2000 as part of SB 1146, which the Automotive Parts and Service Alliance (APSA) supported. "The board action is the realization of a lot of hard work by our government affairs staff and our members, many of which attended meeting with CARB and testified at hearings," said Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association President and CEO Alfred L. Gaspar. "The board is to be commended for the amount of effort that it invested in this rulemaking and in working with the stakeholders to resolve concerns," Gaspar said.

APSA was particularly satisfied that the CARB board rejected attempts by the vehicle manufacturers to obtain provisions that would have expanded their ability to protect trade secrets and would have limited access to many of the enhanced diagnostic capabilities available in aftermarket tools.

APSA was also pleased that the board, over car company objection, directed its staff to work with the aftermarket on issues regarding the ability of parts rebuilders to work with integral anti-theft units that must be reinitialized when the electronic control unit is replaced. "Absent this action, replacement ECUs would only be available from the vehicle manufacturers, thus hurting aftermarket suppliers and significantly raising costs to consumers," Aaron Lowe, vice president of government for APSA, said at the hearing.

"We look forward to working with the car companies and the CARB staff to ensure that all of the requirements of these regulations are in place by the January 1, 2003 implementation date," said Jim Eady, president of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association. "Without doubt, enforcement by the regulators and vigilance by the aftermarket will be critical to ensure that the mandates that we worked so hard to achieve are realized and that consumers will enjoy a competitive aftermarket for critical emissions related repairs," Eady said.

The regulations will require that:

• Car companies maintain web sites with all emissions related service information, including all manuals and technical service bulletins. ·
• All printed training materials used by the car companies must be available to the independent service industry.
• The same diagnostic tools provided by the car companies to the franchised new car dealer must be made available to independents.
• Information must be released that is necessary for aftermarket tool suppliers to incorporate enhanced diagnostic capabilities into tools sold to independent service facilities.
• Each car company must make available a description of the operating parameters for their on-board diagnostic systems.
• All information be made available at a fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory cost.

The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) is a Bethesda, Md.-based association whose member companies manufacture, distribute and sell motor vehicle parts, accessories, tools, equipment, materials and supplies. The organization is comprised of manufacturers, distributors, jobbers, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturer's representatives and other companies doing business in the automotive aftermarket. AAIA formerly served the aftermarket as APAA and ASIA.