Does Google Hold IP Rights on Otto’s Self-Driving Technology?

Self-driving technology has been a hot topic in recent years, with many tech giants, including Google, investing heavily in this area. One of the key players in this field is Otto, a company founded by former Google employees. This has led to questions about whether Google holds intellectual property (IP) rights on Otto’s self-driving technology. To answer this question, we need to delve into the complex world of IP rights and the specifics of the relationship between Google and Otto.

Understanding IP Rights

Intellectual property rights are legal rights that provide creators protection for their inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, and images. These rights include patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. In the context of self-driving technology, these rights would cover aspects such as software algorithms, hardware designs, and unique methodologies used in the development of the technology.

Google’s Self-Driving Project and Otto

Google’s self-driving project, now known as Waymo, has been a pioneer in the field of autonomous vehicles. Several of its former employees, including Anthony Levandowski, left to start Otto, a company focused on self-driving trucks. Otto was later acquired by Uber, leading to a high-profile lawsuit where Waymo accused Levandowski of stealing trade secrets.

Does Google Hold IP Rights on Otto’s Technology?

Google does not inherently hold IP rights on Otto’s technology simply because Otto’s founders previously worked at Google. IP rights are typically assigned to the company that the inventors were working for at the time the invention was made. Therefore, any technology developed by Otto’s founders while they were at Google would likely be owned by Google. However, any technology they developed after leaving Google would be owned by them or their new employer, unless it was based on confidential information or trade secrets from Google.

The Waymo vs. Uber Lawsuit

In the lawsuit between Waymo and Uber, Waymo claimed that Levandowski stole 14,000 files related to lidar technology, a key component in self-driving cars, before leaving Google. If proven, this could be a violation of trade secret laws. The case was settled in 2018, with Uber agreeing to not incorporate Waymo’s confidential information into their hardware and software. However, the settlement did not explicitly state that Google holds IP rights on Otto’s technology.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Google may hold IP rights on technology developed by Otto’s founders while they were at Google, it does not automatically hold rights on technology developed by them after they left, unless it is based on Google’s confidential information or trade secrets. The specifics would depend on the details of the technology and the circumstances under which it was developed.