Tata Motor’s-owned Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission on Thursday, 19 November, to block imports of Porsche, Lamborghini, Audi and Volkswagen sport utility vehicles (SUV).
The complaints state that the car manufactures are using Jaguar’s patented Terrain Response Technology without permission.
According to Jaguar, the technology helps negotiate a “broad range of surfaces” and is a key feature in Jaguar’s F-Pace and Land Rover Discovery vehicles.
“JLR seeks to protect itself and its United States operations from companies that have injected infringing products into the U.S. market that incorporate, without any license from JLR, technology developed by JLR and protected by its patent,” said Matthew Moore, Jaguar’s lawyer in the filing.
Specifically, Jaguar wants to block the imports of Porsche’s Cayenne; Lamborghini’s Urus; Audi’s Q8, Q7, Q5, A6 Allroad and e-tron vehicles; and VW’s Tiguan vehicles.
The International Trade Commission is an independent, quasi-judicial agency that investigates complaints of unfair trade practices, like patent infringement. It can’t award damages but does have the power to block products from entering the US Owners of patents and trade secrets like it because it can work faster than the federal district courts.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)