They tried. Independent auto repair shops across the country sued and lobbied to save their businesses.

"On the last day of California's legislative session in 2000, Governor Gray Davis signed into law what had come to be known as "OBD-II." The new law expanded the OBD service information requirements in California by directing car companies to make all manuals and technical service bulletins Internet-accessible, supply tools, and offer training to all non-dealer service companies in the state."

http://fbaum.unc.edu/lobby/_107th/093_OBD_Service_Info/frame...

EVs are currently exempt from this!

We need OBD regulations to be updated for reflect these new technologies. I think hydrogen vehicles are also exempt.

Are they exempt? At least one state, I believe it was Mass has a law on the book allowing work. Of course we need independent repairs (and training to do it properly) on EVs. There are a few repair garages for Teslas that seem to be people who used to work at Tesla, they fix wonky things on battery packs sometimes.

Exempt from requiring an ODB port that outputs the narrow scope ODB data.

They are mainly exempt because most of that data is emissions related. ODB came about due to CA requiring lower emissions and smog checks. They needed a way to quickly and cheaply verify it independently of the manufacturer. Unfortunately, in VWs case, the law assumed the data isn't modified before being sent.

You'll lose all the income of that day or week. Farmer will lose months of income.

And you help the farmer by preventing them from fixing their own vehicles and equipment? Somehow we seem to be talking from different worlds. If you are worried about people losing potential to use their equipment at an important time, then (this will sound crazy!) let them fix their own equipment.