Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is pressing John Deere on its commitment to right-to-repair provisions. She said the tractor giant’s omission of certain information in product manuals could constitute a violation of the Clean Air Act.

Right-to-repair advocates say everyone should be allowed to do standard maintenance on electronics and machinery.

When repair rights are brought up, it’s generally in regards to being able to replace a battery in your mobile phone or a screen on your laptop. However, John Deere has continually caught the eye of advocates in recent years.

Its equipment has become increasingly reliant on computer software. For years, the company basically blocked owners and independent repair shops from getting what they needed to access and fix the equipment. If something broke, it had to go through an authorized dealer.

“[Vehicle] technology is terrific,” Warren said during an event in February with Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. “It saves lives. It keeps us safer. It is more convenient, but it can also be used to create a monopoly where I could only go to one place to have my car repaired. And ultimately, that’s bad for consumers.”

After years of fighting right to repair, John Deere voluntarily signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in January 2023.

That MOU was an agreement to make tools and documentation available so farmers and shops outside of Deere’s network could make repairs.

In a letter sent to John Deere Wednesday, Oct. 2, Warren said Deere told customers that it recently discovered equipment manuals may be missing information that tells customers they have the right to repair anywhere they choose, more than a year after it signed the document with the AFBF.

Full Story: https://san.com/cc/sen-warren-says-jo...

Follow Straight Arrow News on social media:
Facebook:   / straightarrownews  
Twitter:   / straightarrow__  
Instagram:   / straightarrownews  
TikTok:   / straightarrownews  

For more SAN content: https://san.com/
Sign up for our weekly newsletters: https://san.com/newsletters/

Download the SAN App!
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/straigh...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...