AAAA News

The day has finally come. A momentous day for the entire automotive aftermarket.

On the 1st of July the Motor Vehicle Information Scheme (MVIS) became law in Australia.
This is a game-changing win for our industry and is the first law of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The new law enables a fair and level playing field for independent workshops and will ensure consumers have a choice of repairer.

Around the country, as an independent workshop, you can now register to access the service and repair information that you need from vehicle makers, and the Law states that this must be provided at a fair market price.

From software updates, to wiring schematics, technical information, security information and EV information, you can access what you need, when you need it.

The law also future proofs your business. As vehicle technology, software and hardware evolves, you will be able to stay up to date thanks to this new data sharing scheme.

I’m very proud to say the AAAA played a leading role in making this law become a reality for the industry, and we were able to do this through the support of our members. I’ve talked to many of you who have spoken about how the new law will make a real difference to your business. Hearing these comments makes the long and challenging journey worthwhile. I want to sincerely thank everyone that has helped us throughout the campaign. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, but we’ve done it!
Given the law is now operational, you may be wondering how you access the data, how much it costs and have other questions about how the scheme works.

The responsibility of the day-to-day operation of the scheme and access to manufacturer vehicle information is handled by the Australian Automotive Service and Repair Authority (AASRA).
AASRA has created a subscription hub for you to access manufacturer information. Joining AASRA provides you with a single location to easily and quickly access all of the participating manufacturer portals, which cover 90 percent of the vehicles that are sold in Australia today.

As an AASRA subscriber, you also have access to the AASRA help desk, which will quickly action any missing information issues you have with a manufacturer. This important part of the AASRA subscription is possible because of AASRA’s direct lines of communication with all manufacturers.

Signing up to AASRA is only $90 plus GST per year, per technician, for base level access and verification. There are also subscription options for security information and EV information. The pricing of each individual manufacturer’s information is now published on the AASRA website.
I encourage you to visit http://aasra.com.au and sign up so you can begin accessing manufacturer repair and service information, efficiently and effectively.

Given the sheer size and scope of this ground-breaking law, the complexity of the requirements, and the number of stakeholders involved, there will be elements of the scheme, and AASRA subscription portal that need tweaking as the scheme gets underway. AASRA welcomes feedback from subscribers to ensure the scheme is meeting your needs. Feedback can be sent to info@aasra.com.au

You may still have questions on the scheme, so we have produced a Q&A that is designed to provide answers to common questions about the law. We hope this helps you to understand the new law and how it works for workshops in practical terms. This Q&A can be read here.

On another issue, we are excited to announce the dates of Autocare 2023. The event will be held across June 9 – 10 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Autocare is Australia’s largest education led automotive convention and trade show addressing the very latest developments and global trends in the industry. If you are involved in the automotive parts, service and repair sector please SAVE THE DATE, as you won’t want to miss this fantastic opportunity to learn, uplift your team and grow your business.
And finally, at the same time as we ensure the successful roll-out of the MVIS, we are addressing another industry crisis. The skills shortage. We don’t have a second to waste taking the lead on this issue and rest assured we are on to it.

The ground-breaking Automotive Apprentice Survey was a pivotal step in unearthing potential solutions at the apprentice level. The results of the survey have been released and the fascinating data will allow the industry, training providers and government to make changes to improve skill development, career pathways and job opportunities. You can read more about the survey results here.

If you are looking for the latest news, upcoming events, or access to our exclusive suite of member tools, research and advice, please take the time to exploreour great website, www.aaaa.com.au

Stuart Charity – CEO, Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association

This article was originally published in the July Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine.