22News I-Team: Ballot Question 1 “Right to Repair” debate over car owner’s rights vs concern of cyber security breach

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – On November 3, Massachusetts voters will be heading to the polls to vote for President and Vice President, as well as other federal and state legislative offices. Massachusetts voters will be deciding on two statewide ballot questions. Question 1 expands on the “Right to Repair Law” […]

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – On November 3, Massachusetts voters will be heading to the polls to vote for President and Vice President, as well as other federal and state legislative offices.

Massachusetts voters will be deciding on two statewide ballot questions.

Question 1 expands on the “Right to Repair Law” that was passed in 2012, which requires vehicle owners and independent repair facilities in Massachusetts to have access to the same vehicle diagnostic and repair information made available to the manufacturers’ Massachusetts dealers and authorized repair facilities.

The new legislation updates the law to include wireless technology, known as ‘telematic’ information. In cars that have these telematics, the information currently only flows from the car directly to automakers and dealerships.

Proponents of Question 1 say it would create a shared database for these telematics that can be used by independent repair shops too, beginning with model year 2022.

Opponents to the new law are concerned about an increased risk of cybersecurity attacks and criminals accessing people’s vehicles and personal driving data, including real-time location.

22News I-Team reporter Taylor Knight takes an in-depth look at Massachusetts Question 1 in an I-Team report Thursday, on 22News at 6:00 p.m.


Question 2 on the November ballot has to do with ranked-choice voting. A “yes” vote on question 2 would approve a system where you rank candidates in the order that you would elect them in.

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