Any repair has to operate at some level of abstraction of the components. Maybe a sensor or actuator failed, perhaps a wiring harness went bad, or maybe the potted computer between those components is defective, but the solution in those cases is typically not to disassemble the malfunctioning device and get out a soldering iron but to replace it.
Perhaps a remanufacturer would disassemble eg. an alternator and diagnose a bad rectifier or bearing, but most of the time the right answer is to leave treat it as a black box, leave it in one piece and swap the entire thing for a new one. Board-level repair is really only suitable for expensive lab equipment and occasionally in a PCB assembly plant.
The problem is that modern manufacturers find it simpler and more profitable to sell the entire tractor/car as a black box. Better engineering in the form of:
1. Modular construction that allows equipment to be disassembled with replacement of individual parts
2. Simple, cheap, open diagnostic interfaces to measure and isolate system performance
3. Consistency across model years to reduce the number of part numbers required for a repair
4. A replacement parts pipeline, possibly including aftermarket manufacturers
5. Documentation on how the system was designed to function
Are all things which which manufacturers in the past respected enough to implement (based on value ascribed to those things by consumers, vendors, and repair shops). However, those items have been devalued and disrespected in favor of more marketable features and lower prices. It's not about the tech in the new car or tractor - those could be implemented with the same (or better!) level of serviceability as your old gas engine.
Unfortunately, "Right to repair" legislation focuses on items 4 and 5 above. A lack of 1, 2, and 3 can still be abused to effectively prevent repair.
Perhaps a remanufacturer would disassemble eg. an alternator and diagnose a bad rectifier or bearing, but most of the time the right answer is to leave treat it as a black box, leave it in one piece and swap the entire thing for a new one. Board-level repair is really only suitable for expensive lab equipment and occasionally in a PCB assembly plant.
The problem is that modern manufacturers find it simpler and more profitable to sell the entire tractor/car as a black box. Better engineering in the form of:
1. Modular construction that allows equipment to be disassembled with replacement of individual parts
2. Simple, cheap, open diagnostic interfaces to measure and isolate system performance
3. Consistency across model years to reduce the number of part numbers required for a repair
4. A replacement parts pipeline, possibly including aftermarket manufacturers
5. Documentation on how the system was designed to function
Are all things which which manufacturers in the past respected enough to implement (based on value ascribed to those things by consumers, vendors, and repair shops). However, those items have been devalued and disrespected in favor of more marketable features and lower prices. It's not about the tech in the new car or tractor - those could be implemented with the same (or better!) level of serviceability as your old gas engine.
Unfortunately, "Right to repair" legislation focuses on items 4 and 5 above. A lack of 1, 2, and 3 can still be abused to effectively prevent repair.