MEP EP#271: The Right to Repair

• Right To Repair Dot Org
• The Right to Repair Electronics refers to government legislation that is intended to allow consumers the ability to repair and modify their own consumer electronic devices, where otherwise the manufacturer of such devices requires the consumer to use only their offered services.
  • This already exists for Autos for the most part
    • Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act
    • Ending the "unfair monopoly" of car manufacturers maintaining control over repair information that could result in independent shops turning away car owners due to lack of information.
• IFIXIT Manifesto
• Movement:
  • Major Players
    • Apple
      • Do you really own your cell phone?
      • Withholding repair information
      • Requiring that all repairs happen at designated service centers
      • ISL9240 charging chip from renesas
    • John Deere
      • Requiring repairs be done with approved contractors
    • Louis Rossmann of Rossmann Repair Group
      • Go Fund Me
      • 1.55M subscribers
      • $317,000
      • Direct Ballot Initiative in Mass
• Impact?
  • Designers at the companies?
  • Who is held liable for not providing the right information?
  • Documentation
    • How “perfect” does it need to be?
    • How much is enough?
  • When can manufacturers say no?
• Suppliers
  • Does every single part for your product need to be available off the shelf in singles all the time?
  • Mouser/Digikey?