Solera Takes Industry Priorities to Capitol Hill at NIADA National Policy Conference

Company leaders advocate for repair-parts competition, right to repair, catalytic-converter theft prevention, and clearer oversight on behalf of independent dealers, repairers, recyclers, and consumers

WESTLAKE, Texas, Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solera, a global leader in vehicle lifecycle management software, data, and services, supported the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association’s 12th Annual National Policy Conference, held September 28–29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (NIADA) Solera leaders Sonia Javed, Justin Ritchie, and Earl Brown participated in direct advocacy with lawmakers and senior congressional staff, bringing forward the needs of independent dealers, repair and collision shops, automotive recyclers, and vehicle owners.

Solera sponsored the conference’s PAC reception as part of its support for the event. (NIADA conference agenda) Beyond that sponsorship, Solera’s delegation pressed for reforms addressing repair affordability, parts competition, access to repair information, inventory protection, and predictable consumer-finance oversight.

Bringing business realities into congressional offices

The delegation meetings included the offices of Senators Edward Markey, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Chuck Schumer, Representative Nick Langworthy, and numerous other congressional offices. The team also had brief meetings with Senator Rick Scott.

The discussions centered on how federal policy affects the businesses responsible for selling, maintaining, repairing, and recovering value from vehicles. The delegation emphasized that legislative decisions should account for the practical realities facing business owners and the consumers who rely on them for transportation.

Solera’s participation reflects its commitment to supporting the automotive ecosystem by working alongside the independent dealer community and engaging in discussions involving the perspectives and concerns of repairers, recyclers, and consumers. Solera advocated for solutions that protect consumers while enabling responsible businesses to compete and operate effectively. The delegation emphasized the interconnected nature of the vehicle’s lifecycle, including the relationship between a dealer’s reconditioning costs, a shop’s repair options, a recycler’s ability to supply parts and components, , and a consumer’s transportation needs.

“Establishing a meaningful federal right to repair framework, fighting catalytic-converter theft, establishing clear, accountable congressional oversight of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and regulatory parity in the enforcement of the Fair Credit Reporting Act all serve the same goal: helping independent businesses keep reliable transportation within reach for consumers. NIADA deeply values all of our sponsors who send their leaders to Capitol Hill to participate in the National Policy Conference and strengthen the voice of independent automobile dealers.”

— Darla Booher, President, NIADA

Supporting parts competition and the Hollander community

Solera highlighted its support for repair-parts competition, including the principles advanced through the Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade, and Sales Act, known as the PARTS Act. That proposal addressed design-patent restrictions affecting alternative exterior collision-repair parts and served as a predecessor to the SMART Act approach. (Congressional hearing material)

Solera supports a repair marketplace that preserves meaningful parts choices while maintaining appropriate safety and quality requirements. For independent dealers and collision shops, those choices can influence reconditioning decisions, repair economics, and the options available to customers.

The company’s Hollander business brings the automotive recycling community directly into that discussion. More than 3,000 recycling yards trust Hollander solutions, which support yard operations, inventory, data, and e-commerce. (Hollander) Solera’s advocacy recognizes these businesses as essential participants in the repair economy.

The PARTS proposal’s design-patent provisions focus on promoting competition for alternative exterior repair parts, rather than creating a blanket authorization for recycled-parts sales. (Congressional hearing material) Solera discussed the broader importance of maintaining practical repair options for dealers, shops, and consumers, including access to aftermarket and responsibly sourced recycled parts where appropriate.

Confronting theft while supporting lawful recycling

Solera also supported the separate Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act, or PART Act. The legislation would strengthen catalytic-converter identification, recordkeeping, and federal enforcement against theft and trafficking. (PART Act text)

NADA reports that replacement costs to vehicle owners average more than $2,500. (NADA) Solera’s advocacy emphasized protecting dealer inventory and consumer vehicles while ensuring legitimate recycling businesses have workable requirements.

The Senate proposal expressly covers sellers engaged in salvaging, dismantling, recycling, or repairing covered parts and would require specified transaction information to be retained for at least two years. (PART Act text) That direct operational relevance makes recycler input important as lawmakers consider implementation.

Preserving meaningful repair choice

Solera advocated for right-to-repair protections that support access to the information, tools, and parts needed by vehicle owners and their chosen repair providers. The REPAIR Act addresses those access issues, including vehicle-generated data. (REPAIR Act text)

For Hollander’s marketplace participants, the connection is explicit: the Senate text includes recycled parts within its definition of alternative parts and addresses barriers affecting salvage yards and the use of compatible alternative parts. (REPAIR Act text) Solera discussed preserving those choices alongside safe repair and responsible data access.

The need for affordable repair is substantial. S&P Global Mobility reported an average age of 12.8 years for U.S. light vehicles in 2025, across 289 million vehicles. (S&P Global Mobility analysis) Solera views repair access as a business issue and a consumer mobility issue.

Advancing clearer oversight and continued engagement

Solera’s discussions also addressed CFPB reform, with an emphasis on clear expectations, predictable oversight, and meaningful consumer protection. NIADA’s conference priorities included H.R. 10184, which would subject the CFPB to congressional appropriations and revise aspects of rulemaking and enforcement. (NIADA)

Solera’s emphasized that responsible independent dealers should be able to understand their obligations and build compliant processes around them. Clarity should support fair treatment of consumers, not replace it.

Solera’s vehicle-lifecycle perspective connects this advocacy across dealerships, repair facilities, and recycling businesses. Its participation in Washington reinforced a commitment to stand alongside those operators where policies affecting their future are debated, not only where technology is deployed.

About Solera

Solera is a global leader in vehicle lifecycle management software, data, and services. Operating in more than 120 countries and serving over 280,000 customers, Solera provides the digital infrastructure that powers critical operations across the automotive ecosystem, serving manufacturers, dealerships, insurers, repairers, recyclers, parts and fleet operators worldwide.

At its core, Solera is built on a proprietary automotive data foundation and a cloud-based AI infrastructure designed to operate at industry scale. By embedding intelligence directly into workflows and continuously innovating across its platform, Solera enables customers to move faster, reduce complexity, and deliver better outcomes. By serving the full vehicle lifecycle, Solera creates unique synergies across its network, helping customers unlock greater value, improve performance, and succeed in an increasingly complex and connected industry. Solera is home to many leading brands in the automotive and vehicle ecosystem, including Identifix, Audatex, DealerSocket, Omnitracs, LoJack, Spireon, eDriving, cap hpi, Autodata, and others. For more information, visit www.solera.com.

Media Contact

Solera Communications
mediainquiry@solera.com