Deere and Co agrees to pay $99M to settle 'right to repair' lawsuit (apnews.com)

• $99 million settlement reached in Right to Repair class-action.
• Mandated access to diagnostic software for farmers and independent shops.
• Reduction in proprietary repair monopolies for heavy machinery.

"John Deere has agreed to a $99 million settlement to resolve class-action lawsuits concerning restricted repair rights for agricultural machinery. The litigation targeted the company’s use of proprietary software locks that prevented farmers and independent mechanics from performing standard maintenance, effectively monopolizing repair services. The settlement mandates that Deere must provide farmers and independent repair shops with access to essential software diagnostic tools. This resolution represents a pivotal shift in the industrial maintenance landscape, addressing concerns regarding the autonomy of critical equipment owners and reducing dependency on original equipment manufacturers for core infrastructure maintenance."