Ford CEO’s Right to Repair Comments Should Concern Every Independent Garage

Why Jim Farley’s vision for vehicle repair could threaten the UK’s independent aftermarket

Ford CEO Jim Farley has reignited the global Right to Repair debate after suggesting that many repairs on modern vehicles are simply too complex and potentially unsafe for owners and independent repairers to undertake outside manufacturer-controlled networks. While the comments were made in the United States, the implications stretch far beyond America and should concern every independent garage in the UK.

Farley argued that modern vehicles are highly sophisticated machines requiring specialist tools, software and expertise. Defending Ford’s position, he stated that repairs on newer vehicles can present safety risks and suggested that some work should remain within authorised repair channels.

At face value, that may sound reasonable. After all, today’s vehicles contain advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), over-the-air software updates, complex battery management systems and increasingly interconnected electronic architectures.

However, beneath the safety argument lies a far more significant question: who controls vehicle repair?

The Real Battle Isn’t About DIY Mechanics

Much of the public debate focuses on vehicle owners repairing cars at home. In reality, the biggest impact is on independent garages.

Modern vehicles increasingly require software access to complete even routine repairs. Replacing a battery, fitting a new module or carrying out a calibration often requires manufacturer-authorised software, coding functions or access to vehicle gateways. Independent workshops may be perfectly capable of carrying out the physical repair but can find themselves locked out of the final stage that returns the vehicle to the road.

This is where the Right to Repair movement becomes critical.

If vehicle manufacturers control access to software, diagnostic data and repair procedures, they effectively control who can repair the vehicle. Critics argue that this creates a repair monopoly that forces consumers back into franchised dealer networks regardless of the capabilities of independent garages.

A Familiar Threat for UK Independent Garages

The UK aftermarket has faced similar challenges before.

Independent garages have spent decades investing in training, tooling and technical information systems to remain competitive with franchised dealers. European legislation, including Block Exemption rules, was designed specifically to prevent manufacturers from monopolising the repair market.

However, software-defined vehicles present a new challenge.

Unlike traditional mechanical repairs, access to software can be switched on or off by the manufacturer. A garage may own the tools, possess the expertise and employ highly qualified technicians, but without digital access to vehicle systems they can be prevented from completing a repair.

That represents a fundamental shift in the balance of power.

For smaller independent workshops, particularly those serving rural communities, the consequences could be severe. Customers may have no choice but to travel significant distances to franchised dealers for repairs that local garages are perfectly capable of carrying out.

The Cost to Motorists

Supporters of Right to Repair argue that restricting access inevitably increases costs for consumers.

Research cited by aftermarket organisations in the United States suggests dealer repairs can be substantially more expensive than work carried out by independent repairers. When vehicle manufacturers limit access to repair information and software, competition is reduced and consumers ultimately pay the price.

The UK’s independent garage sector has long provided motorists with competitive pricing, local convenience and personal service. Restricting repair access risks undermining those advantages.

At a time when household budgets remain under pressure, fewer repair choices are unlikely to benefit consumers.

The Safety Argument Deserves Scrutiny

Manufacturers frequently justify repair restrictions on safety and cybersecurity grounds.

Nobody disputes that modern vehicles are complex. ADAS systems, electric vehicle high-voltage components and connected vehicle technologies require specialist knowledge and training.

But independent garages have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to adapt.

Thousands of UK workshops have invested heavily in EV qualifications, ADAS calibration equipment and advanced diagnostic technology. The suggestion that only manufacturer networks can safely repair modern vehicles overlooks the professionalism and technical competence that exists throughout the independent sector.

The issue is not capability.

The issue is access.

What Happens Next?

Farley’s comments may have been aimed at a US audience, but they reflect a wider global trend. Vehicle manufacturers increasingly view software, connectivity and data as strategic assets. Control of repair access represents a significant commercial opportunity.

For independent garages, the challenge is clear.

The industry must continue to push for fair access to repair information, diagnostic tools, software functions and vehicle data. Without that access, the future could see a growing number of repairs diverted away from local workshops and into manufacturer-controlled networks.

The independent aftermarket has always evolved alongside vehicle technology. The question now is whether legislation and regulation will evolve quickly enough to ensure that independent repairers can continue to compete on a level playing field.

Because if the right to repair disappears, the right to choose your garage may disappear with it.

MOTester View

Independent garages are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for fair access.

The UK’s vehicle repair sector employs thousands of skilled technicians, invests millions in training and equipment, and keeps the nation’s motorists moving every day. Restricting access to essential repair information does not improve competition, reduce costs or support consumers.

As vehicles become increasingly software-driven, protecting the right of independent garages to repair them may become one of the most important battles the aftermarket faces over the next decade.