How many times have you taken your car or two-wheeler to the authorised service centre and had to pay labour charges even for the smallest of repair or adjustment? We usually make these efforts to protect our vehicle’s warranty that manufacturers are happy to void for even the smallest of discrepancy. Well, that could soon be in the past as the Department of Consumer Affairs has now launched the ‘Right to Repair’ initiative and portal, which protects your vehicle’s warranty even if you have got repairs made at a third-party workshop.
The portal is currently live and two-wheeler manufacturers such as Hero MotoCorp and Honda Motorcycles and Scooters have already come onboard. It will also act as resource for self-repair manuals and feature authorised third-party repair party details. While the Right to Repair will democratise your vehicle maintenance from the first day of ownership, it would also require manufacturers to share proper repair information and manuals with third-party workers. Diagnostic tools and spare parts will also become more accessible to consumers and workshops. What remains to be seen, is if the manufacturers will see Right to Repair as an obstacle or an opportunity to increase goods production.
Currently, the Department of Consumer Affairs is working towards onboarding as many manufacturers as possible. While Right to Repair is certainly a step in the right direction, it will not become mainstream overnight. Overall, the Right to Repair covers four major sector such as electronic, consumer durables, automobiles equipment and farming equipment.
This also means that your personal devices and home appliances will now be protected under the Right to Repair scheme. Samsung, Apple, Havells, Hewlett-Packard, LG, Panasonic, Oppo and several other electronics brands are already onboard the portal.
