Final answer:
Redundant components are incorporated to increase a product's reliability by providing backup in case of a component failure, thereby steering clear from practices like planned obsolescence and promoting product longevity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of having redundant components in a product is to increase the reliability of the product. Redundancy is used to ensure that if one component fails, the others can take over and the product can continue to operate correctly. This concept is particularly important in critical systems where failure is not an option. Under certain economic conditions, the cost of repair may become lower than the cost of replacement. In such scenarios, durability and product serviceability gain significance, driving a shift away from the disposable economy and towards items designed for easy upgrade or repair. Moreover, the adoption of redundancy goes against the strategy of planned obsolescence, where products are designed with a limited lifespan to encourage consumers to buy new models.