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What began as a dispute over replacing phone screens and worn-out laptop batteries has now reached the auto industry: Car manufacturers are increasingly trying to control who can service vehicles, a shift that could leave drivers with fewer repair options and higher costs.
What happened?
BMW offers a clear example.
As Fortune reported, the company applied in 2024 for a patent on a screw shaped around its logo, a design that could require proprietary BMW tools for removal.
In documents filed with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, BMW described a screw whose drive pattern is based on the company's emblem.
If that design ends up in vehicles, independent mechanics could have a much harder time removing it without purchasing BMW-specific equipment.
BMW's own patent language leaves little doubt about the intent.
"The invention is based on the objective of providing a screw which has a specific drive structure which cannot be tightened and/or unscrewed, or can only be tightened with a small number of standard screwdriving tools," it states.
The filing also says the design stops the screw from being loosened or tightened by "unauthorized persons."
BMW has not yet installed the patented fastener in its vehicles.
Nevertheless, the application has added to concerns that automakers want to funnel repairs through dealership networks, especially as cars rely more heavily on software.
That broader battle is now part of the debate over the Repair Act, first introduced in 2023 and reintroduced in 2025.
As Fortune noted, the bill would require manufacturers to give owners and independent shops the same diagnostic tools and information already provided to franchised dealers.
Why does it matter?
Advocates say the issue comes down to consumer choice.
Car-repair creator ChrisFix told Fortune: "On a fundamental level, I think most people would agree it's good to have options."
"If the OEMs become a monopoly, prices are going to increase substantially and that's not good for the consumer," he added.
The dispute goes beyond physical parts.
Bill Hanvey, CEO and president of the Auto Care Association, said software access and repair data have become major obstacles, particularly with electric vehicles.
"Now, with many of these EVs, all of that repair and maintenance data is transmitted systematically back to the car manufacturer, and it's not being made available to the consumer," he told Fortune.
Hanvey argues that restricted access raises prices for drivers.
He estimated that aftermarket repairs can cost up to 36% less than dealer service, while an Auto Care Association-commissioned study found that 51% of independent shops send as many as five vehicles each month to dealers because needed data is unavailable.
What's being done about it?
The previously mentioned Repair Act aims to help this issue, but there are still concerns about cybersecurity.
Louay Abdelkader, director of product management at QNX, said: "There has to be a fine balance between giving the consumers the ability to do certain things with a car and at the same time also ensure the integrity of not just the data, but the car itself."
Consumers and independent groups are also stepping in when manufacturers fall short.
Leading up to Fisker's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in June 2024, owners formed the Fisker Owners Association to help keep their vehicles running.
"It was born out of necessity, and the decision that we had to do something," said Cristian Fleming, CEO of the Fisker Owners Association.
The group helped reverse-engineer software, negotiate access to operating systems, source parts, and create maintenance guides.
Fleming put the stakes even more plainly: "People who own these vehicles should have some say in the vehicles they own."
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