Can You Repair What You Own?

Farmers could save time and money if they could troubleshoot tractors themselves, but have no access to the built-in software diagnostic tools that are accessible only to authorized servicepeople. The problem is so widespread that Nebraska farmers have taken it up with their state legislators, hoping to gain the legal right to access these diagnostic tools. These farmers are the latest members of a grassroots movement that is lobbying for what they call the “right to repair.” The movement’s goal is to give consumers the legal right to acquire parts and fix machines or devices that they have purchased, Right-to-repair activists want to break that monopoly with a healthy repair ecosystem so consumers can get repairs and parts at reasonable cost. This article takes a closer look at the current status of the movement.