The industry has expanded the usage of DRM to various hardware products, such as Keurig’s coffeemakers,[9][10] Philips’ light bulbs,[11][12] mobile device power chargers,[13][14][15] and John Deere’s tractors.[16] For instance, tractor companies try to prevent farmers from making repairs under via DRM.[17]
Reading the comments I wanted to point out why this isn’t just an IoT/stupid modern life/inconvenience issue when it comes to tractors.
Most farmers live on very thin margins. Making those margins requires good timing for things like planting and harvest and everyone in your area will be trying to do the same thing as you at about the same time. Getting your tractor throwing an error code or whatever that stops work becomes a year ruining, bankruptcy inducing problem if you can’t get it fixed quickly. Pretending that there is a good, qualified repair technician in your area you might be days down the list for when they can get to you. This pushes the timeline of your essential task and eats away at your ability to make any living just through delay.
This is why people pushing right to repair use tractors as a selling point. They are absolutely essential to the farming they are used for and in the US there is a strong mythos that has been built around farmers that lets the issue resonate.
I totally agree about all of the other DRM uses being bad, but using the perception of taking away the independent, practical, hardworking farmer’s ability to do work on their own however it needs to get done hits many people’s guts a lot harder than IoT crap not maintaining its usability.
Tldr, if you want to sway people on DRM stick to examples that feel impactful to them.