This is probably to head off the "code tuners".
The case stems from some farmers who found there new JD equipment disable in the field during harvest due to various computer codes. They were unable to get service to the machines to deal with the codes for some time costing them significant losses do to harvest and weather conditions. They took a complaint to the EFF who has filed for an exemption from DMCA for the code that runs the equipment as they were unable to bypass the codes in the field due to "encryption".
the thought being, we own the equipment, it shouldn't be against the law for us to be able to diagnose and solve these "code issues" ourselves in the field.
The counter point to the above is....
The equipment is so controlled by the computer code, that tampering with it could cause serious issue. both mechanical issues with the equipment, safety issues for both operators and by standards, emissions controls (as regulated by the fed gov't) and lastly monetary issues, as manufactures have moved to supplying more range of products with fewer physical engines and simply de-rateing the engine in software for less expensive equipment.
The supreme court has already ruled on this same topic back when the same groups were arguing that the (simple) mechanical systems were to complex to let independent mechanics work on cars. (dealers only) they already ruled that the same service information that was available to dealer techs be made available to third parties. Thus your ablity to buy "official" service manuals, and have your car serviced at any mechanic.
I suspect a similar ruling in this case. That "service tools" be available to non-dealer parties.
Although the above will not address the greater issue with the DMCA.
For instance, there is a sensor that sits under your seat and disables the equipment if you get up. If you bypass this sensor either physically or electronically, the powers that be can claim that the bypass of the sensor to trick the software is considered "hacking" the control software under DMCA.
THis is the greater issue that they want addressed, but then again it covers everything from your DVD player, your TV, your smart phone, all the way down to modern cars. This is the issue that wont be solved quickly. As the argument is the same for all devices. you own them, you should be able to modify them as you see fit. Its just that the history of mechanical tractors transformed into electronic controled devices is much harder to accept than the idea that your iPhone was ever some mechanical object that never had any DMCA protections.
