Deere Lost Fight To Control Software In Your Tractor

Deere Lost Fight To Control Software In Your Tractor COMPUTERS The U S Copyright Office handed down a decision this summer that says owners of tractors combines cars pickups and other late model equipment can “repair or modify” the software and computer code that controls them Deere and other big manufacturers had submitted briefs to the government saying that farmers receive “an implied license for the life of the vehicle to operate the vehicle” but that control over the software remained with the manufacturer That meant only dealers or company-authorized personnel would be allowed to work on such equipment Individual owners would not be able to buy diagnostic equipment or hack into the software if for instance one wanted to tweak the electronics to boost power The Electronic Frontier Foundation www eff org; ph 415 436-9333 which filed the request for software access noted that in light of the recent Volkswagen scandal where VW was caught manipulating vehicle data the ruling allows farmers and others to examine the software controlling equipment without facing legal threats from manufacturers However the decision only relates to owners – not third party repair shops And software alterations cannot violate U S DOT or EPA guidelines The decision included a year-long delay in implementation

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.