By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The U.S. Copyright Office recommended extending an existing exemption that allows vehicle owners and authorized third service and repair parties to perform vehicle diagnosis, repair and modification without fear of prosecution under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The exemption was first granted in 2015 and is subject to renewal every three years. The extension was requested by SEMA, along with the Auto Care Association and Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association. The three trade associations argued that the exemption is needed since vehicles are becoming more digital and the affected parties will otherwise be denied the chance to make vehicle repairs and modifications. The Copyright Office will now consider requests to rescind or limit the exemption, if any, before it is formally renewed next October.
For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.