Uber can pay Waymo over autonomous driving tech

Date:

Trending

Uber said it “will likely” have to strike a licensing deal with Waymo or opt for costly changes to its autonomous driving software after an expert found the ride-hailing giant still used technology from the Alphabet unit.

- Advertisement -

While it was unclear by when the company needed to decide on its next move in the blockbuster trade secrets dispute, Uber, in a quarterly securities filing on Tuesday, said that a detour in its software development “could limit or delay our production of autonomous vehicle technologies.”

Uber has been racing to catch up to Waymo in the development of software and hardware to install in cars and trucks to allow for driverless taxi and delivery services.

- Advertisement -

The expert review of Uber’s software was part of a legal settlement reached in February 2018 that brought to an abrupt halt a federal jury trial over whether the company unfairly benefited from confidential ideas allegedly secured by making former Waymo engineers key members of its self-driving car team.

Waymo began as a project within sister company Google a decade ago, while Uber launched its effort four years ago.

Uber declined to give details beyond its filing.

Waymo told Reuters in a statement that the independent software expert’s findings “further confirm Waymo’s allegations that Uber misappropriated our software intellectual property. We will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure our confidential information is not being used by Uber.”

Last year, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed confidence that the company had not used Waymo’s proprietary information in its hardware or software.

But by April, weeks ahead of its initial public offering, Uber disclosed that the expert software reviewer’s interim findings were mixed and could be costly.

Waymo had alleged in court filings in 2017 that Uber was “misappropriating two highly valuable Waymo trade secrets related to planner software,” which processes data from sensors on the vehicle and controls its movement.

Uber shares have tumbled about 40% since their market debut in May amid big quarterly losses as it spends heavily on marketing.

Its self-driving venture has also faced other challenges.

The United States National Transportation Safety Board in a recent report found there were software flaws in an Uber self-driving test vehicle that struck and killed an Arizona woman in the middle of a road last year.

Still, the Uber unit drew a $1 billion investment in April from SoftBank, Toyota, and automotive company Denso.

Last year’s settlement also gave Waymo a 0.34% stake in Uber, worth about $245 million based on Uber’s $72 billion valuation at the time.

It is unclear if Waymo still holds those shares.

Waymo this year began a limited robo-taxi service in Arizona.

(Reporting by Paresh Dave; editing by Himani Sarkar.)

THE SNAPSHOTS

Sign up to get quick snaps of everyday happening, directly in your inbox.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

- Advertisement -

Support our independent journalism PayPal (Outside India) For PayU (For Indian Readers).

Krishna Mali
Krishna Mali
Founder & Group Editor of TechGraph.

More Latest Stories

More Articles

How AI-Powered Online Platforms Are Revolutionizing Life Insurance Recommendations

Anyone with a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent as a dependent needs life insurance. Purchasing a life insurance product has...

Loans in Crypto Wallet: Useful Feature or a Security Threat?

Integrating crypto loans into digital wallets is gaining traction, allowing users to borrow and lend crypto assets without the need for traditional financial institutions. With DeFi revolutionizing lending, crypto loans provide an alternative to banks while offering quick access to liquidity. However, concerns about security...

From Arcade to Adventure – The Evolving Face of Entertainment and Why It Counts

Entertainment has always been a reflection of the shifting expectations of society. Earlier, people...

How Technology Helps Combat Various Viruses and Diseases

Technology has transformed the ways we approach vaccines, particularly for the flu. One noteworthy...

The Long-Term Power of Investing: Selecting Undervalued Industries

Investing can seem overwhelming, especially for beginners, as the numerous options and strategies available...

The Impact of EdTech on Student Outcomes in Higher Education

The introduction of interactive whiteboards in the early 1990s marked a major shift in...

Shell Executive Robin Mooldijk Sells €1.69 Mn in Shares

Shell plc’s Projects & Technology Director, Robin Mooldijk, has offloaded 50,000 shares in the...

HR Chief Amy Coleman Reports Over 46,000 Microsoft Shares in SEC Filing

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Chief Human Resources Officer, Amy Coleman, has reported her stock holdings...

12 Eye-Popping Hacks to Make Your Next Business Presentation Sparkle

Business presentations are often necessary to gain new clients and showcase what it is you can offer, but more often than not, they end...

BGC Group raises $700 Mn in bond sale to refinance debt

BGC Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BGC) has finalized a $700 million private offering of senior...

Alphabet Legal Chief John Kent Walker to Sell $2Mn in Shares via Morgan Stanley

Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Chief Legal Officer, John Kent Walker Jr., has filed to...

From Startup to Success: Essential Steps for Landscaping Entrepreneurs

Starting a landscaping business is so exciting, blending creativity with the reward of transforming...

Predictive Analytics: The Key to Supply Chain Resilience

In today’s interconnected global economy, supply chains are the lifeblood of businesses, weaving intricate...

Empowering Growth: Boosting the Robotics Sector with Targeted Support

India's robotics sector is emerging as a key area of technological progress, driving innovation across industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and agriculture. With...

Software and Technology Changing the Industry

The advent of software and technological advancements has been a game-changer across various industries. From enhancing productivity to transforming operational dynamics, tech plays an integral role today. This article delves into how software and technology are revolutionizing industries worldwide, providing insights and data to...

Jensen Huang Offloads $49.8Mn in Nvidia Shares

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO and President Jen-Hsun Huang has disclosed the sale of 431,611...

Canada, Australia Partner to Build $6 Bn Arctic Radar System

In a bid to enhance Arctic and national security, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney...

Why Smart Cities Are the Future of Water Conservation

Water conservation has become an important factor due to climate change and worsened water...

Interview: Vserve CEO Siva Balakrishnan on SEO Secrets for Amazon Seller Success

In an interview with TechGraph, Siva Balakrishnan, CEO and Founder of Vserve, shared how...

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai Increases Stocks Holdings Amid Dividend Adjustment

According to a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Alphabet...

Layer PR Wins SME News UK Awards, Expands to Bengaluru

Layer PR, a global public relations firm owned by TechGraph, has secured two major...
00:02:59

US President Trump Presses NATO on Greenland Annexation Plans

During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday, US President Donald Trump...
00:01:37

UK PM Kier Starmer Abolishes NHS England To Bring Health Services Under Govt Control

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to abolish NHS England and bring...

The Role of Edge Computing in AI-Powered Cloud Solutions

With businesses including artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations, cloud computing has grown in...

From Startup to Success: Essential Steps for Landscaping Entrepreneurs

Starting a landscaping business is so exciting, blending creativity with the reward of transforming...

Meta Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead Offloads Shares as Part of Trading Plan

According to regulatory filings, Jennifer Newstead, Chief Legal Officer at Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:...

Nvidia Director Aarti Shah to Sell Shares Worth $2.37 Mn

Aarti S. Shah, a director at NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), has filed a notice...

Alphabet COA Amie Thuener O’Toole Increases Stock Holdings

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ...

Elon Musk’s X Sues Indian Govt Over Content Regulation Clash

X Corp, an Elon Musk-owned social media firm, sued the Indian government in the...

Predictive Analytics: The Key to Supply Chain Resilience

In today’s interconnected global economy, supply chains are the lifeblood of businesses, weaving intricate...

UK PM Kier Starmer Abolishes NHS England To Bring Health Services Under Govt Control

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to abolish NHS England and bring...

VIDEO: US President Donald Trump Calls NBC A ‘Worst Network’ On Television

During a press meeting at the Oval Office on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump...

The Role of Edge Computing in AI-Powered Cloud Solutions

With businesses including artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations, cloud computing has grown in...