Manufacturers Must Share Repair Software

A court‑approved settlement compelled John Deere to pay $99 million and to supply the digital tools needed to diagnose and repair tractors for ten years, creating a legally enforceable repair access obligation. This shifts software for industrial equipment from proprietary choke point to regulated infrastructure that independent shops and owners can use. — If upheld, the case becomes a legal precedent that manufacturers cannot rely solely on embedded software and dealer networks to control repairs, with implications for antitrust, rural economies, and repair markets across sectors.