Major repairs to the car could soon be significantly cheaper. The federal government has now decided to open the aftermarket for visible components such as fenders, hoods, mirrors or headlamps for free manufacturers. Spare parts could be significantly cheaper.
The aim of the initiative of Justice Minister Katarina Barley (SPD) is that consumers will be able to choose between the original spare parts of their car manufacturer and cheaper spare parts from independent manufacturers in the future repair. For this purpose repair clause should be introduced in design law.
Government wants exception
So far, the replication of visible spare parts for suppliers is prohibited, because the manufacturers can rely on a design protection. The Federal Government now wants to introduce an exception: If the replacement part is used for repair, the design protection should be eliminated.
The automotive industry sees the project as a "critical intervention" and sees its innovative strength endangered. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) emphasized that design protection is an important prerequisite for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers for investing in innovation. Such protection is necessary to combat product piracy.
"Replicated spare parts can be shown to compromise the safety as well as the value retention of the vehicle and thus represent a significant customer disadvantage," the association explained. Currently not only exterior mirrors and headlights are protected, but also doors and bumpers.