3 min read
Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) / AAAA — September 2026
Australia's consumer watchdog has forced three car brands to cut the cost of accessing dealer-level diagnostic software for independent repairers. Mazda, Kia, and BYD each changed their access terms after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found they were not fully complying with the country's Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme (MVIS).
The changes are concrete and measurable. Kia now offers daily diagnostic access for A$136, replacing a minimum upfront cost of about A$9,780. BYD cut its day rate to A$140, down from A$600 a month or A$14,719.60 to buy the equipment outright. Mazda removed the requirement to use a specific Mazda diagnostic device and is refunding some repairers who overpaid. It is a quiet but significant win for the independent workshop — and a signal of where the broader right-to-repair fight is heading.
What the ACCC Investigation Changed
Australia's MVIS scheme requires manufacturers to give independent repairers access to the service and repair information they need on "fair and reasonable" terms. The ACCC's investigation focused on a familiar pain point: independent shops being pushed to buy expensive, manufacturer-specific diagnostic hardware and software just to read codes, run resets, and complete routine repairs.
Kia's previous arrangement demanded a minimum upfront cost of roughly A$9,780 before a shop could touch the brand's diagnostic system. BYD charged A$600 a month, or A$14,719.60 for an outright purchase. For a small independent shop, those figures make servicing certain brands economically unviable — you either absorb the cost and hope the volume justifies it, or you turn the job away. After the investigation, both brands introduced daily access options: A$136 per day for Kia and A$140 per day for BYD. That is a dramatic drop for a workshop that only sees a handful of those vehicles each month.
Mazda's change was different in kind. Rather than price, the issue was hardware lock-in: the brand required a specific Mazda diagnostic device. Mazda now allows repairers to access diagnostic information through the standard equipment many shops already own — a multi-system OBD2 scanner or a PC-based pass-through — and is issuing refunds to some repairers who previously paid for the proprietary device.
Why It Matters for Independent Shops and Technicians
The Australian case is not an isolated story — it is a test of the same principle shops fight for worldwide. A legal right to repair is only useful if the access is affordable and practical. When a manufacturer can technically "comply" by offering a A$9,780 tool or a mandatory A$600 monthly subscription, the law is satisfied on paper but fails in practice for the one-man garage.
There is a second lesson for the tool market itself. The whole point of a multi-brand diagnostic tool is to give one device coverage across many nameplates, so a shop does not need a wall of OEM boxes. Every time a regulator forces an OEM to open up standard-equipment access, the value of a well-supported multi-brand platform rises — because the information now flows through the tools shops already own instead of a locked-down proprietary device.
For technicians, the practical takeaway is simpler. If you operate in a market with a right-to-repair or data-sharing law, check what access options each brand offers before committing to a dedicated OEM tool. Daily and short-term access tiers are becoming a real option, and they change the math on whether to buy hardware or rent access per job.
What's Next for the Right to Repair
The ACCC is not stopping at these three brands. The regulator has separately launched court action against Subaru on similar grounds, and the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has made clear it expects enforcement to continue. AAAA chief executive Stuart Charity put it plainly: a legal right is only meaningful when independent repairers can use it in practice, and manufacturers should build compliance into their operations from day one rather than retrofitting it after a regulator knocks.
Watch for two trends to follow this case. First, more markets will push OEMs toward daily and monthly access tiers instead of all-or-nothing hardware purchases. Second, diagnostic information will increasingly be delivered through standardized, cloud-based channels — which favors platforms that stay current. That is where a maintained software update service matters: a tool is only as good as its latest coverage, and the shops that keep their subscriptions current are the ones positioned to take on newly accessible work.
For independent shops, the Australian outcome is a reminder that access is negotiable — and that regulators, not just vendors, are now shaping what tools a shop can afford to run. The shops that stay informed and keep their equipment current will be the first to pick up the newly accessible work.
Written by James Mitchell, Senior Technical Editor at vxdas.com
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