After shelving the proposed legislation for a couple of years, Congress has reintroduced the Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade, and Sales (PARTS) Act of 2017. This legislation would amend 35 USC §271 and, if enacted, would drastically shorten the term of design patent protection for replacement exterior car parts – e.g., hoods, fenders, tail lights, side mirrors – from 15 years to 30 months from the date on which a part is first offered for sale to the public. The PARTS Act, as currently proposed, would have retroactive effect and apply to issued design patents, as well as new design patent applications.
