Carmakers told to give data to repair shops

DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, General Motors and Toyota must provide more information about their models to independent car repair businesses to encourage competition, the European Commission ruled Friday.

The regulator believes that motor groups such as DaimlerChrysler and Toyota have tried to bolster the position of their own authorised outlets by withholding crucial information about their models from independent garages.

The regulator has been alarmed by the drop in market share held by independent repair shops, with authorised garages now holding up to 96 per cent in some markets, especially for newer cars.

Brussels blames the recent fall in the number of independent repair shops in part on their lack of access to information about the latest car models and how to repair them.

Neelie Kroes, the EU competition commissioner, said Friday: "Consumers benefit from competition between repairers through lower labour charges and cheaper spare parts. These decisions provide a concrete and timely solution to the problems faced by independent repairers, who might lose their ability to compete without access to the relevant technical information."

The Commission said independent garages were often more than 50 per cent cheaper that authorised repair shops.If repairs were carried out without the right technical information, this could lead to vehicles being driven in an unsafe condition, and add to air pollution and wasted fuel."

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Wish the authorities in India read this car manufacturers are giving more and more impetus to their dealerships[india included] while not even providing sufficient spares in the open market.