That information highway is a two-way street as well. For some time now, automakers have been able to download software updates. These go into innocuous features such as infotainment systems, to more serious components such as engine and transmission control computers. You may have concerns about what carmakers do with all that personal info, and you’d be right, but for this discussion we’ll focus on how this new wireless age affects your ability to repair something yourself, or get servicing done by non-dealership shops. Who has the right to repair? As of last year, there were 20 U.S. states with “right-to-repair” legislation that gives vehicle owners and independent shops the right to access parts, tools, software, and information from manufacturers in order to repair their products. But a private member’s bill in Ontario, focused mainly on personal electronics, was defeated in 2019.