A mechanic checks a car. China has issued new maintenance policies to regulate the market. (Photo/China Daily)
China is making efforts to improve its auto maintenance and repair market to protect consumer's rights and interests.
A regulation that requires vehicle makers to disclose information on auto maintenance and repair technology online will be implemented from Jan 1.
The regulation was jointly issued on Sept 25 by eight government departments, including the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.
In recent years, with car ownership rocketing in the country, the need for auto maintenance has risen. However, such service has been a headache for many consumers because of the lack of transparency and the arbitrary imposition of fees in the auto maintenance and repair market.
There are several deadlines for automakers to follow.
From Jan 1, 2016, automakers must publish their maintenance and repair technology information within six months after the launch of new passenger cars and buses that obtain China Compulsory Certification.
From Jan 1, 2017, automakers must publish maintenance and repair technology information within six months after the launch of CCC trucks and semi trailers.
For passenger cars and buses that gained their CCC after July 1, 2008, and trucks and semi trailers that obtained their CCC after Jan 1, 2015, automakers need to publish their maintenance and repair technology information by Jan 1, 2017.
For passenger vehicle models with total sales of less than 1,000 units; and bus, truck and semi trailer models with total sales of fewer than 200 units, automakers need not publish the information online, but instead need to publish the information in other forms, such as in print, by Dec 31 next year.
The regulation allows automakers to charge for the information, but the price should be "fair and reasonable".
If needed, auto parts suppliers should publish the information of their auto parts to automakers, as part of the vehicle maintenance and repair technology information.
The information should be disclosed to the public for 10 years from the launch of the model.
After 10 years, automakers can place the information on file, but still need to notify how to access it.
The Ministry of Transport is responsible for the guidance, coordination, supervision and administration of the information disclosure, according to the regulation.
If the information is not provided, the ministry will penalize the relevant automakers by informing the public or imposing a fine.
However, industry insiders have questioned how effect the regulation will be.
"In the short term, the regulation will not benefit consumers, and will not have much influence on auto dealers," said Teng Yan, general manager of Beijing Xinxing Fuqing Automobiles Sales Co.
Teng said that auto maintenance and repair technology are only two of key factors, and other factors such as auto parts supply channels are also important for dealers.
He believes independent dealers cannot make a big difference by only gaining auto maintenance and repair technology information.
It is the companies that make detectors to diagnose automobile troubles will benefit from the regulation, Teng said.
He thinks the regulation will be hard to follow for automakers, as it does not have detailed clauses, and may cause disputes regarding intellectual property rights.
A manager from a Renault authorized dealership who asked to not be named, also believes the regulation will have little effect on dealers.
Consumers, too, do not seem to consider the regulation will make much difference neither.
"To disclose the information or not is the same for us because we don't understand the maintenance and repair technology", said Liu Xiao, 30, a video editor living in Beijing.
Liu said in the current vehicle maintenance and repair market, customers only have two options: quality but expensive service in 4S stores, or cheap but unqualified service at independent auto maintenance and repair shops.
Liu hopes the market will become more transparent and customers will have more options in the future, so that customers are able to get quality maintenance and repair services at "a reasonable" price.
