July 6th 2024.
New Delhi: The Department of Consumer Affairs under the Centre has recently called upon automobile manufacturers to make efforts towards ensuring that repair manuals and instructional videos are easily accessible to all individuals. This initiative aims to promote a fair and competitive market for third-party repair services, while also upholding consumer rights.
In a meeting held on Saturday, Nidhi Khare, the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, discussed this issue with various representatives from Automobile Associations and their partner companies in the Automobile Sector. The main focus of the meeting was to encourage auto companies to join the Right to Repair Portal India, an online platform that provides consumers with the necessary information for repairing and reusing their products, thereby contributing to the circular economy and reducing e-waste.
The meeting was attended by representatives from well-known Automobile Associations such as ACMA, SIAM, ATMA, EPIC Foundation, and companies like Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS, Royal Enfield, Renault, Bosch, Yamaha Motors India, and Honda Car India. The Government's Right to Repair Portal India has been launched with the aim of empowering consumers to take ownership of their purchased products by giving them easy access to repair information.
During the meeting, it was highlighted that products that are not repairable or have a limited lifespan due to planned obsolescence are a major contributor to e-waste. This also forces consumers to purchase new products as there are limited repair options or the repair costs are too high. The main goal is to eliminate these barriers and ensure that consumers have complete control over the products they purchase.
One of the key concerns raised was the delay in repair services and the lack of repair manuals for vehicles. This often leads to dissatisfied consumers who are left with limited repair options and high costs. Another major issue is the availability of genuine spare parts at affordable prices, which often leads consumers to purchase counterfeit parts from the grey market. Lack of accessible repair information and guides also adds to the financial burden and dissatisfaction of consumers.
The meeting also emphasized the need for roadside assistance for consumers, especially on highways, and the introduction of a repairability index for vehicles. This index will provide information on the life of the product, availability of spare parts, detailed repair manuals, and warranty information for different parts. These measures aim to empower consumers to make informed decisions about the post-sales service of their products, allowing them to fully enjoy their purchase.
The meeting concluded with a consensus to onboard the Right to Repair Portal and adopt a collaborative approach to provide efficient post-sales services to consumers. The discussions also covered topics such as standardization of parts and skilled workmanship, development of catalogues by companies to assist consumers with post-purchase services and extending the life of the product. Measures to address deceptive practices in repair workshops, which contribute to the generation of plastic waste, were also discussed.
It was stressed that companies should explicitly mention the details of their service centers across India, recognition of third-party repairers (if any), and the country of origin of their products. Some companies, such as TVS, shared their experiences with the portal and how they have used consumer complaints to identify key repair issues and create instructional videos for consumers on their official YouTube channels. Other companies, including Tata Motors and TVS, also discussed their efforts to make repair manuals and videos easily accessible to consumers through the Right to Repair Portal India.
In conclusion, the meeting highlighted the importance of promoting a fair and competitive market for post-sales services and empowering consumers to make informed decisions about their products. The Right to Repair Portal India is seen as a crucial step towards achieving this goal and the participants of the meeting agreed to work together towards its success.
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