ACCC takes Subaru Australia to court over repair data access

Australia's competition regulator has initiated legal proceedings against Subaru's Australian arm, accusing the automaker of restricting independent repairers' access to vehicle service data.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleges that between July 2022 and August 2024, Subaru Australia — the sole importer and distributor of Subaru vehicles in the country — failed to provide independent mechanics with the same level of access to software and technical information that its own dealerships enjoyed.

According to the regulator, Subaru offered independent repairers access only through remote assistance and supplied information on an annual basis, rather than the required daily or monthly options. The company also allegedly failed to provide scheme information to two independent repairers immediately upon request.

The ACCC claims these actions breached the Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme (MVIS), a mandatory framework requiring automakers to make service and repair information available for purchase by all Australian repairers at a price not exceeding fair market value. This marks the first court action the regulator has taken for an alleged breach of the scheme.

The regulator further stated that these breaches forced independent repairers to purchase specific hardware to connect the software to vehicles.

"Consumers may have been unable to use an independent, local or family-run repairer rather than using Subaru's dealerships," said ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward.

The ACCC is seeking declarations, penalties, costs, and other orders, though it has not specified the penalties it is pursuing. Subaru Australia has not yet responded to requests for comment.