Industry Committees Meet in Orlando
The Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) and the National Windshield Repair Division (NWRD) met in early June in Orlando as Auto Glass Week ’21 was winding down. The ANSI Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards (AGRSS) Committee convened, as did the new ANSI Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standards (ROLAGS 2) Committee.
The AGSC Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Committee met first on Wednesday afternoon. The committee reviewed a series of checklists that had been created to help technicians use ADAS properly and to troubleshoot when items go wrong. The ADAS Committee also readied one checklist for possible incorporation in the AGRSS Standards.
“We want to make sure that AGSC members have the most accurate information, and the best tools available, to aid in proper calibrations,” said committee chair Jacques Navant of Don’s Mobile Glass in Modesto, CA.
A number of committees met on Thursday as well, including both ANSI committees. The AGRSS Standards Committee tackled nomenclature first with a long and impassioned discussion of whether ADAS work should be known as “calibration” or “recalibration.” A final nod was given to the word “calibration.” A detailed review of possible additional Standard language concerning calibration followed. The language will be released for
public review once members it is approved by members.
The ROLAGS 2 Standards Committee, which had had a fledging initial meeting during Auto Glass Week 2019, became fully constituted at this one. Linda Rollinson of Superior Auto Glass in Tampa, Fla., was elected chair, operating procedures were put into place and new members were added. The Committee voted to adopt the current ROLAGS Standard and to begin work on ROLAGS 2 immediately.
Right to Repair Trial Concludes
Seth Maiman, AGSC director of public affairs
A trial has concluded with legal briefs set amid thorny questions about cybersecurity and state’s rights in the federal legal case that will determine the fate of the Massachusetts Right to Repair law. The law had been approved by the state’s voters in November 2020.
The case of Alliance for Automotive Innovation v. Healey was brought in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts by an automobile manufacturer’s group that campaigned against the initiative approved by nearly 4 out of 5 Massachusetts voters. The group contends that the initiative is preempted by federal statute. The law would require cars, beginning with model year 2022 sold in Massachusetts and utilizing a telematics system, have an inter-operable, standardized, and open access platform.
Opponents contend that such a system would violate federal cyber security standards and is not technically feasible. The Auto Glass Safety Council joined a large coalition of consumer and safety advocates supporting the initiative for fear that consumer safety would be jeopardized if auto glass shops did not have access to a vehicle’s essential information.
According to the legal periodical Law 360 account of the closing arguments, U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock was skeptical of his ability to sever the law and allow more time for manufacturer’s technology to catch up and become compliant with the requirements of the yet to be enforced new law. Judge Woodcock seemed to think that he will have to rule whether the law will stand as written.
In its pretrial brief the state Attorney General argued that the:
• Alliance does not have a right of action entitling it to pursue claims of conflict preemption under either the Motor Vehicle Safety Act or the Clean Air Act.
• Federal law invoked by the Alliance lacks preemptive effect; and,
• The Alliance lacks associational standing to pursue its claims.
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