The US Federal Trade Commission has ordered Harley-Davidson and generator company MWE Investments to cease voiding buyer warranties over repairs, marking a brand new step within the FTC’s combat over right-to-repair points.
The order covers Harley-Davidson’s bikes and Westinghouse outside mills and associated gear, which is manufactured by MWE. Both firms should take away unlawful phrases of their warranties that discouraged prospects from utilizing third-party elements and restore providers, and the warranties should inform customers that they’ll make third-party repairs with out affecting their protection. They even have to proactively inform consumers of their rights and order formally approved sellers to keep away from deceiving prospects concerning the guarantee or selling official elements over third-party ones.
“Illegal repair restrictions can significantly raise costs for consumers, stifle innovation, close off business opportunity for independent repair shops, create unnecessary electronic waste, delay timely repairs, and undermine resiliency,” mentioned FTC Chair Lina Khan in a statement. “It is critical that unlawful repair restrictions continue to be a key area of focus for the Commission.”
The FTC and several other state legislatures have pushed official right-to-repair insurance policies in recent times, whereas firms like iFixit have mounted public campaigns to stress Apple and different {hardware} makers into supporting impartial restore choices. Khan declared that the subject can be a particular area of focus for the FTC final yr, following an executive order from President Joe Biden.
