The Week In Repair: May 29 - June 4
New York Legislature passes first electronics right to repair bill. Colorado Governor signs wheelchair repair into law. Also: pro-repair committee tells judge weighing MA repair law to wrap it up!
NY Passes Digital Fair Repair Act
These little town blues are fading away…after the New York Assembly voted 145-1 on Friday afternoon to pass Assembly Bill A7006B, The Digital Fair Repair Act. In doing so, New York became the first state legislature in the nation to enact a right to repair consumer electronics, after the state’s Senate passed S4104A, an identical bill, on Thursday.
This is a milestone - the culmination of years of work by right to repair advocates who, previously, had seen more than 100 pieces of legislation killed off, typically in closed committee sessions under heavy lobbying from high tech firms like Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Google and others. But not this time. With the backing of NYPIRG, the state chapter of the Public Interest Research Group and the Repair Coalition, working with sponsors NY Assembly member Patricia Fahy and State Senator Neil Breslin’s shepherded the Fair Repair Act through committees and to the floors of the Assembly and Senate for a vote. In addition to the 145-1 slam dunk, the Senate bill passed 59-4, both “veto proof” majorities with both measures winning solid Democratic and Republican support.
Stranded: New Report on Wheelchair Repair from U.S. PIRG
This is Monopolies 101: when there is only one option for getting something done, quality and customer service go down while prices go up. One of the main goals of the Right to Repair campaign is to foster an open market for repair and service that offers real choice and price competition to consumers.
This report outlines why wheelchair owners, like farmers, hospitals and smartphone owners, would benefit from a legal right to repair their equipment. Absent these and other reforms, wheelchair users will continue to face long wait times for repair that adversely affect their mobility and, with that, their physical and financial well-being. Right to Repair legislation that encompasses complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) devices like power wheelchairs would improve the market for wheelchair repair that would help ensure that disabled Americans receive prompt, high-quality service at an affordable price. (US PIRG)
Overload of Lawsuits Leads to Consolidation of Deere Repair Cases
The majority of class-action lawsuits brought against John Deere over the right to repair farm equipment will be heard by a federal court in Illinois, according to an order issued by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Wednesday.
So far, a total of 12 class-action lawsuits have been filed against Deere, including by Burke, Virginia, resident Samantha Casselbury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Central Illinois, and by Greenwood, Minnesota-based Hapka Farms Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. (dtnpf.com)
Australian Auto-Repair Law Going Into Effect in July
From July 1, the Motor Vehicle Information Scheme (MVIS) will require service and repair information to be made available to qualified independent mechanics to purchase at a fair market price.
The amended law was passed by Parliament last year under the Coalition Government and initially only applies to passenger vehicles and light goods vehicles other than omnibuses, manufactured on or after January 1, 2002. It is designed to provide a fairer playing field for the repair and service of the 74 automotive brands available in Australia in an industry worth $23 billion annually.
Under the mandatory scheme, all Australian vehicle repairers will have fair access to the information needed to service and repair cars – rather than just car dealerships and their affiliates. This includes software updates to connect a new spare part with a car, and information and codes for computerized systems from a car manufacturer. (whichcar.com)
‘Green’ Apple Funding Groups Stalling Action on Climate Change
Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about a ‘greener’ future. But his company is a member of business associations fighting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But a close look at the company’s trade associations reveals a different narrative. In fact, Apple has supported business groups that seek to thwart action on global warming—the opposite of the company’s stated goals.
The Tech Transparency Project is highlighting Apple’s trade associations as part of an update to its Tech Funding Database. Apple lists membership in the Texas Association of Business (TAB) in its most recent disclosure about “indirect advocacy” efforts.
TTP found that Apple has also linked up with business organizations in Europe and Japan that have a history of trying to slow regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. And the company continues to support trade groups that oppose so-called right-to-repair laws that advocates say are beneficial to the climate. (Tech Transparency Project)
Farmer Says Dealer Wouldn’t Repair His Tractor Until He Filed FTC Complaint
A farmer in Missouri said he had to go to complain to the Federal Trade Commission in order to get his tractor repaired by the only John Deere dealership in his area, showing how without the right to repair farmers are bound by the whims of the corporations who have a monopoly on repair.
It’s a lot of drama for one farmer to deal with. But Wilson is a fifth generation farmer whose family has used John Deere for decades. He likes the product, but he doesn’t like their repair restrictions and he doesn’t particularly like Heritage Tractor. But Heritage Tractor is the only reasonably close repair shop, according to the affidavit. (VICE)
The Underground Company That Hacks iPhones for Ordinary People
Researchers suspect the checkm8.info service is used by criminals to launder stolen iPhones. The tool's administrator claims the service is just a response to Apple's poor right to repair policies.
This underground group is offering people a way to bypass activation locks (which bricks devices) from certain iPhones with its pay-for-hacking service. iOS security experts suspect it is being used to remove protections from stolen iPhones. The hacking group called Checkm8.info offering the service, which lifts its name from a popular free-to-use jailbreak, insists its tool cannot be used by thieves. (VICE)
Should States Adopt Right-to-Repair Laws? Pros and Cons
As any consumer knows all too well, products break. And when they break—well, that’s where things can get tricky.
Consumers who want to fix their own damaged devices, or take them to an independent repair shop, can face challenges. That’s because manufacturers of many products—especially those with computer chips—often limit who has access to the parts, tools and information needed to perform repairs.
Read the Wall Street Journal’s debate on state right to repair laws. (WSJ.com)
Right to Repair Group to Judge in MA Lawsuit: Wrap It Up!
The Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit filed over an expansion of Massachusetts right to repair bill that has delayed implementation of the State’s expanded automotive right to repair by more than a year.
“At this juncture, in light of the passing of nearly one year since the trial of this matter, and one and a half years since the Act was approved by the voters, this brief is offered for the purpose of presenting considerations regarding the effect of further delaying the enforcement of the Act’s provisions.”
The committee accuses the OEMs of a strategy of using delays that are “frustrating the ongoing efforts of consumers and independent repair shops to obtain fair and equitable access to vehicle diagnostic data needed to maintain and repair vehicles.”(repairerdrivennews.com)
Repairing Your iPhone Habit Saves Carbon (and Cash)
Manufacturing new devices still largely rely on polluting sources of energy. To grab an example, let’s look into Apple’s manufacturing data. Mining and manufacturing materials for the newest iPhone, for example, represents roughly 83% of its contribution to the heat-trapping emissions in the atmosphere throughout its life cycle. That’s an up-front carbon cost, which (if things went Apple’s way) would be a repeating cycle every year as every user invests in a shiny new model.. (techhq.com)
Tire Industry Association pushes Federal REPAIR Act
This year, Tire Industry Association has supported the introduction of H.R. 6570, the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act, or the REPAIR Act, in the 117th Congress introduced in the House by Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL). This is the latest chapter in the Right to Repair fight with the vehicle manufacturers, to preserve competition in vehicle repair and maintenance. TIA has been working on adding co-sponsors to the legislation. (tireview.com)
How to Design a Product that is Easy to Repair
Rocket scientists have embraced design for repair, with companies such as SpaceX making spacecraft with standardized parts that can be reused, repaired and replaced.
But just because rocket scientists are doing it doesn’t mean it’s difficult. Making things that are repairable rather than disposable isn’t complex and helps both our wallets and the planet. This is true for everyday products such as phones and laptops—and really for all engineered objects.. (wsj.com)