Ruling on Software in Cars is Relevant to Farm Equipment

U.S. authorities have given security researchers permission to study software in automobiles in search of flaws, the Apex Tribune reported.

Carrying out repairs will now be legal, but the Tribune reported that users and analysts will breach copyright if they extract or sell code. The ruling came from the Library of Congress, which oversees the U.S. Copyright Office.

It was prompted in part by claims that the Volkswagen emissions scandal could have been prevented if users had the right to tinker with the software.

The decision may have implications for farm equipment. In April, Deere drew criticism when it submitted an argument to the U.S. Copyright Office that suggested farmers who buy its tractors do not own them but rather have an implied license to drive them. The claim sought to retain the tractors’ software as Deere property.

In spite of opposition from major auto manufacturers, the Library of Congress sided with fair-use advocates who claimed that car ownership should come with the right to modify one’s vehicle, including the built-in software. S