It's A Lock: Local Locksmith Writes Legislation Protecting Consumers

The automobile has come a long way since it first hit the road over a century ago. From the front-end cranking to get the engine to roll over, the automobile has been forced to keep up with today's technology and has joined the countless other items that now hold a computer chip within; not just the engine but the car key itself.

This technology has forced today's locksmiths to keep the pace by upgrading their training. John Brueggeman of Greenfield is one such locksmith who has risen to the challenge.
Brueggeman moved to Greenfield some 15 years ago from Seaside where he lived temporarily while working for the state of California state parks in the capacity of a park ranger, the law enforcement branch of the state parks system.

In his third year as state president of the California Locksmith's Association, Brueggeman represents all locksmiths in California, not just for state licensing, but he has also represented the locksmith industry as a whole in front of the state legislature.

Brueggeman received an award in the 2005/2006 legislative session for additional legislative work.
"I worked with the automobile club of California (known as Triple A) and provided them with technical expertise to pass Senate Bill 1542 that was sponsored by Carol Midgen out of San Francisco," he said. "She authored a bill which mandated the auto manufacturers to provide the high security key code and information to allow a registered and bonded locksmith to generate the key without having to go to the dealer to have a new key made."

Currently, the newer cars have a computer chip inside their keys that require special high security information that until this law, called "Key Code Information" passed, people could not call a regular locksmith to obtain a new key. According to Brueggeman, a bonded locksmith is now privy to this information held within the key and can make copies. Consumers, when forced to go to their dealer for a key, were paying as much as $1,000 for a key.

"I had to go before Senate Committees and attend multiple meetings with auto manufacturers and AAA sponsors," Brueggeman said of his efforts to get the bill passed. He stressed for clarification that the correct name of this organization is CSAAA (California State American Automobile Association) even though everyone knows it as AAA. Should it be in Texas it would be known as TSAAA.

"This legislation was the first time this law has been proposed and passed in the nation," Brueggeman said. "Since the California legislation, 12 other states have tried (to pass a similar law) but only three have passed a variation of the law." He said the law will become effective, forcing the auto manufactures to provide the key code information on Jan. 1, 2008, to all registered and bonded locksmiths.

This entire electronic nightmare came about because today's keys are electronic. "Inside of the key cad, there's an electronic chip that has to be programmed for that particular vehicle," explained Brueggeman. This programming was all done at the auto manufacturer and it was they who held the mystery of the electronic key - that is, until the "The Right to Repair Act" passed, thanks to Brueggeman and his efforts.

Explaining how these new high tech keys work, Brueggeman said, "Everything is done through the key fob. Cars no longer have the old key system anymore." A key fob has a little garage door opener image on it and it will open and close the car door. "There are cars out right now that you don't even use a key to open it," said Brueggeman "They respond to the keys in your pocket." Continuing on, he said, "These keys have an electronic transmission chip in them and as you get close to your car, it will unlock the vehicle and if you wish, it will even start the car." He said that there are cars out there that are completely keyless.

The legislation Brueggeman worked on in 2006 said the carmakers were supposed to give out the information regarding this new technology. Now he faces the "how" to disseminate it. "I've been working with the national organization to figure out how to deliver these secure key codes to the locksmiths and the car repair industry from the auto manufacturers. This will allow the consumer to take their vehicle to whomever they want for the required work instead of forcing them to pay exorbitant dealer prices.

"For the past three years, I've been working on writing the policies of locksmiths and auto repair industries so that they might be able to gain access to this information," Brueggeman said. He said it was not only to meet the mandates that California has, but to get auto manufacturers to do what California legislation has now mandated.

"Local garages and the locksmith industry will have to be registered to have access to all the auto manufacturers sites. The National Right to Repair Act is the national legislation that now says that dealers cannot have a monopoly on this information," Brueggeman said.

Brueggeman received his award in Charlotte, N.C., on July 28, 2006, from the National Locksmith's Association as the outstanding member of the year for his assistance in getting the California legislation passed. It has set the pattern for the rest of the nation. The delay in receiving the award was because Gov. Schwarzenegger didn't sign the bill until September of last year, after the convention had already met for the year. "They couldn't give it to me (the award) until the ink was dry," Brueggeman said with a chuckle.

Article by Jody Smith, 10/24/07 - South County Newspapers