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H.R. 6688 (ADAS Act): What You Need to Know and Why You Should Share Opposition
IGA Advocacy in Action
A new federal bill, H.R. 6688, is currently fast-tracking through Congress. Marketed to the public as a "Right to Repair" and "Right to Modify" victory, the legislation actually contains a devastating blind spot for the auto glass industry.
H.R. 6688 directs NHTSA to develop guidelines that include confirmatory ADAS validation protocols and performance metrics. While the bill does not require repair facilities to perform these tests, the creation of federal validation metrics could influence insurance reimbursement policies and liability standards across the repair industry. While the Independent Glass Association strongly supports vehicle safety and open access to OEM data, H.R. 6688 directs NHTSA to establish federal guidelines and validation metrics for ADAS performance after repair or modification. Although the bill does not mandate that repair facilities perform these tests, the creation of federal validation protocols could quickly become the standard insurers and TPAs expect shops to meet, yet the legislation provides no reimbursement protections or liability safeguards for independent repair businesses.Why This Matters to Independent Glass Shops
For independent glass shops, H.R. 6688 could create significant downstream risks. The bill directs NHTSA to develop federal guidelines that include ADAS validation protocols and performance metrics after repairs or component replacement. While the legislation does not mandate that shops perform these tests, once federal validation standards exist, insurers and TPAs could adopt them as reimbursement requirements, adding new operational steps without addressing the reimbursement challenges shops already face for ADAS recalibration work.
H.R. 6688 directs NHTSA to establish federal guidelines that include ADAS validation protocols and performance metrics following vehicle repairs or component replacement. While the legislation does not require repair facilities to perform these tests, the creation of federal validation standards could influence insurance reimbursement policies and liability expectations. The bill also contains no provisions addressing reimbursement for any additional procedures that insurers or TPAs may later require shops to perform.
Key concerns for shops include:
- Unclear Operational Impact: H.R. 6688 directs NHTSA to develop federal guidelines that include ADAS validation protocols and performance metrics following repair or component replacement. While the bill does not mandate that repair facilities perform these tests, once federal validation standards exist they could influence insurer reimbursement policies and claims administration practices. The legislation also contains no language addressing reimbursement for any additional procedures that insurers may expect shops to perform.
- The Liability Trap: The bill does not include safe-harbor protections for repair facilities that follow OEM calibration procedures. If federal validation metrics later become widely adopted as industry benchmarks, repair businesses could face increased litigation risk despite completing manufacturer-specified procedures successfully.
- Impact on Independent Shops: Independent facilities already face significant reimbursement pressure from insurers and TPAs on ADAS calibration work. Any additional operational expectations introduced through federal guidance could disproportionately impact smaller repair businesses unless reimbursement and liability protections are clearly addressed.
What Consumers Should Know
For the driving public, H.R. 6688 is being presented as a vehicle safety measure. While improving safety is important, the real-world impact of the legislation could be more complicated.
The bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop new federal guidelines for verifying the functionality of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) after repairs or component replacement. While the bill does not require repair shops to perform these validation tests, the creation of federal testing metrics could influence how insurers and third-party administrators handle claims and reimburse repair work.
If insurers begin requiring these additional verification procedures but refuse to pay for them, those costs could ultimately be passed on to consumers.Independent glass shops are committed to safely returning vehicles to the road. However, policies that add new expectations without addressing reimbursement or liability protections could make repairs more complicated and potentially limit consumer choice if smaller local repair facilities struggle to absorb those additional costs. Consumers deserve both safe repairs and the freedom to choose who services their vehicle.
Consumers should understand that:
- Safety Could Become a Cost Shift: Independent repair shops are committed to returning your vehicle safely to the road. H.R. 6688 directs federal regulators to develop new ADAS verification guidelines after repairs or component replacement. While the bill does not require repair shops to perform these tests, once federal validation standards exist insurers and third-party administrators may begin requiring them during claims processing, without guaranteeing they will pay for the additional work. Those costs could ultimately be passed on to consumers.
- Repairs Could Become More Complicated: If insurers adopt new verification expectations tied to these federal guidelines, additional steps could be added to what is currently a straightforward windshield replacement. That could increase repair times and make scheduling more difficult for consumers.
- Local Repair Choice Could Be Impacted: Independent glass shops already operate under tight reimbursement controls imposed by insurers and claims administrators. If new operational expectations emerge without clear reimbursement protections, smaller local repair businesses may struggle to compete. That could reduce consumer choice and push vehicle owners toward large corporate repair networks.
Consumers deserve transparency, choice, and convenience, not a system designed to benefit insurance-aligned repair networks.
Support IGA Advocacy
Defend Independent Glass: Oppose H.R. 6688 Today!
Step 1: Join the IGA Today
Step 1: Membership strengthens our collective voice and directly supports the fight to protect independent glass shops with the work the IGA is doing on these bills.
Step 2: Donate to the Advocacy Program
Take Action Now: Fix H.R. 6688 Before It Harms Independent Shops
Your voice is the only thing standing between this flawed legislation and the survival of local, independent repair shops.
You cannot afford new federal ADAS validation expectations being imposed without reimbursement or liability protections. Tell Congress to protect small businesses:
- The Message:I support vehicle safety and open access to OEM data, but I strongly oppose H.R. 6688 in its current form. The bill directs federal regulators to develop new ADAS validation guidelines but does not address reimbursement or liability protections for independent repair facilities. I urge Congress to amend the bill to include mandatory insurance reimbursement and clear liability safe harbors for shops that follow OEM repair procedures.
- The Action: Call or email your U.S. Representative and members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and ask them to protect independent repair businesses before this legislation moves forward.
Stand with the IGA. Defend American Roads. Power Local Independence.
What Happens Next
The clock is ticking. On February 10, 2026, H.R. 6688 cleared the House Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce via a voice vote. This means the bill is gaining momentum and is now sitting with the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Committee Markup (Our Critical Window): The full committee will soon schedule a "markup" session, where they will debate the bill and consider amendments. This is our best opportunity to strike the unfunded mandate language and insert our mandatory reimbursement protections.The House Floor: If the bill passes the full committee without our amendments, it moves to the House floor for a general vote, making it exponentially harder to change.
The IGA's Offensive Strategy: We are not waiting for the gavel to drop. The IGA has already submitted a formal Position Paper to committee leadership and launched a targeted media campaign to expose the liability traps hidden in this legislation. We are actively pushing to form a coalition with other aftermarket repair advocates to amplify our voice on Capitol Hill.
The rules for repairing 2028 and newer vehicles are being written right now. The IGA is at the table fighting for your business, but we need the deafening volume of thousands of independent shops standing behind us to make Congress listen.
This page will be updated as these bills move through the legislative process. Check back frequently for hearing dates, testimony resources, and action alerts.