Following their ‘Introduction to AASRA’ webinar on 31 August, the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has released a full list of questions & answers on the recently introduced Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme.

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Why wasn’t the industry made aware of EV training requirements before 1 July?

The Government published the scheme rules in late 2021 which included the EV training requirement and since that time AASRA constituent associations (such as the AAAA) have been providing information to business owners and RTOs on the new requirements however demand for EV training only increased after the Scheme was launched and the training sector is now ramping up to meet this demand.

MTA Institute (RTO No. 31529) offers skillset training covering the fundamental requirements for inspecting and servicing battery and hybrid electric vehicles. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Can you have multiple technicians registered with the same ABN?

Yes – the purpose of providing an ABN in your application is to assist AASRA in verifying that you meet the Scheme requirements, which only allow access to information for professionals employed in automotive service and repair or training. There are no restrictions on the number of employees who can sign up for each business, as long as they require the information for their work and meet all other Scheme requirements.

Does everyone in your business need to register for AASRA, or just the director?

Each employee who requires vehicle information must individually sign up to AASRA. This is to ensure that every person receiving information meets the Scheme requirements, which apply to individuals and not businesses. This means that you cannot create generic accounts for your whole business for all employees to use. AASRA is monitoring this sort of practice and any misuse of the platform may result in repercussions for the technician.

Do you need an AASRA account to access information from participating OEMs?

The majority of car brands operating in the Australian market have engaged AASRA to undertake a range of important functions on their behalf, including verifying each technician’s eligibility under the Scheme requirements. This means that your AASRA account can be used to get access to participating OEM portals. A list of participating OEMs is available on the AASRA website under ‘Automaker Info’. If you contact one of these participating brands directly it is likely you will be referred back to AASRA to establish an account. Links to portals for OEMs not using AASRA for these functions can be found under ‘Non-participating Brands’.

Can you get information on service schedules?

All repair and service information that is routinely supplied to authorised dealers is considered scheme information including OEM service schedules.

What happens when a dispute arises between a technician and OEM?

AASRA has developed a Dispute Resolution Process to handle any disputes which arise between technicians and OEMs. This includes disputes which involve non-AASRA participating OEMs. If the dispute cannot be resolved after filing a Missing Information Report, AASRA has the ability to seek input from an independent technical panel and/or refer issues on to the ACCC for further investigation. Alternatively, the parties may ask AASRA to appoint an external mediator (at their own cost) to assist in reaching a resolution. More detailed information on this process will be made available on the AASRA website over the coming weeks.

How can you access information from non-AASRA participating OEMs?

All OEMs must provide information in accordance with the Scheme requirements regardless of whether they have chosen AASRA to undertake validation checks on their behalf. This means you can access information from these brands directly from their portals, however you will have to individually verify your credentials with each brand once as they cannot use your AASRA account for verification. Links to portals for OEMs not using the AASRA platform can be found on the AASRA website under ‘Non-participating Brands’.

Do OEMs charge for information on top of AASRA account fees?

Yes – the fee for your AASRA account covers verification of your credentials and access to participating OEM portals, as well as other functions such as Missing Information Reports. OEMs can charge for access to their information on a per use or subscription basis, depending on the type of information. They are required to provide this information at a fair market price, which is monitored by the ACCC.

What happens if your employee who registered under your ABN leaves your business?

You can notify AASRA of any employees leaving by emailing AASRA support. AASRA is developing a feature which will allow business owners to manage who is registered under their ABN. However, the link to business is only for verifying the employee’s connection to a genuine automotive business, and there is no penalty to businesses for any misuse of the platform by former employees, even if the ABN linked to their account is not removed or updated.

Can you access information under the Scheme as a modification business?

Yes – all automotive professionals conducting repair, service, modification or diagnosis work on vehicles are eligible to access information under the Scheme.

Will there be instructional videos on how to navigate the AASRA Portal?

Yes – AASRA is finalising a suite of short instructional videos covering various aspects of the Portal. These will be released soon.

Is the Twilio Authy app the only authenticator you can use to access your AASRA account?

Yes – Twilio Authy is the only authenticator app linked securely to the AASRA Portal, and therefore is the only app that can provide you with the authenticator codes required to login.

Will AASRA provide access to vehicle security information?

Yes – security information is part of the Scheme, and OEMs must provide it to eligible technicians. To be an eligible technician, you must provide evidence of a current (less than two years old) accredited national police check in addition to the base registration requirements. This security credential is called ‘Vehicle Security Professional’ (VSP). Once you have this credential you can perform work requiring security information by clicking on the relevant OEMs vehicle security programming link. Alternatively, if you wish to outsource this process you can use AASRA’s Assisted Initialisation and Reprogramming (AIR) function where will link you to a VSP in your location that can assist with the programming function.

Why are aftermarket companies, such as HaynesPro, listed on the AASRA website?

There are a number of data aggregators, such as HaynesPro, who provide vehicle information covered by the Scheme via subscriptions. The Scheme recognises them as data providers in the same way OEMs are recognised, meaning their portal links and prices are listed on the AASRA website alongside OEMs.

Are third party diagnostic tool manufacturers, such as Bosch, going to manage some equipment sales?

Yes – some OEMs have linked third party manufacturers, such as Bosch, to provide diagnostic tools.

Why are you not allowed to create an AASRA account on behalf of a business and provide information to technicians?

The Motor Vehicle Information Scheme legislation includes restrictions on who can access information under the Scheme. These restrictions apply to individuals, not businesses, and therefore AASRA must verify that each individual receiving Scheme Information meets the requirements.

Why do some OEMs require EV safety training credentials to access ICE vehicle information?

A number of OEMs have informed the ACCC that they are unable to separate ICE vehicle information from EV information and are therefore requiring all technicians that access their portals to have completed EV safety training. The ACCC is currently investigating this matter and has implemented a moratorium on prosecution until the end of September. AASRA will provide an update on this once the ACCC advise the outcome of their investigations.

MTA Institute (RTO No. 31529) offers skillset training covering the fundamental requirements for inspecting and servicing battery and hybrid electric vehicles. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Are OEMs required to provide J2534 diagnostic tool access if they also provide OE tooling options?

OEM’s are required to provide access to information and tooling under fair and reasonable commercial terms so it is up to each manufacturer to meet the scheme requirements according to their business model. If OEM tooling is not available or not provided at a fair and reasonable price then a repairer can lodge a missing information report and this matter will be followed through with the OEM on the technicians behalf.

Will AASRA assist the collision repair industry in informing insurance companies of the costs of purchasing vehicle information?

The AASRA website publishes the pricing schedules for access to repair and service information for all car companies operating in the Australian market. AASRA does not have any powers to compel insurers or OEMs to change their business practices. All compliance and enforcement powers for the scheme reside with the ACCC.

Source: Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association

16 September 2022