The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation announced last week that it is scheduling a hearing for January to address automotive affordability.
Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called for the hearing “Pedal to the Policy: The Views of the American Auto Industry on the Upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization,” at 10 a.m. EST Jan. 14, 2026.
Executives for four carmakers – General Motors, Stellantis, Tesla and Ford – have been invited to serve as witnesses.
“Americans have been clear that they are hyper-focused on affordability – and so is this committee,” Cruz said in a press release announcing the hearing. “The average price of a car has more than doubled in the past decade, driven up by onerous government-mandated technologies and radical environmental regulations. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act took crucial steps to drive costs down with the repeal of the EV mandate and CAFE standards, but we must do more. This hearing will examine how government interference continues to make vehicles expensive and out of reach for American customers and how we can restore competition and choice.”
The hearing will look into the soaring prices of vehicles, which are now more than $50,000, and the impact of government regulated technology and climate restrictions.
The hearing announcement does not address Right to Repair, which NIADA and several industry members have been advocating for to lower the price of repair. Bipartisan bills filed in the U.S. Senate and House would remove unnecessary barriers and ensure that independent repair shops have access to essential repair and maintenance data, compatible aftermarket parts, training, and diagnostic tools. NIADA anticipates Right to Repair legislation will be raised during the hearing. A recap of the hearing will be provided in a future Dashboard article.
