The Complaint: Domestic Automotive Technology Company Accuses Overseas Manufacturer of Patent Infringement
A U.S.-based automotive technology company accused a multinational automotive corporation of infringing multiple patents related to an electronic throttle control (ETC) system used in modern vehicles. The petitioner sought enhanced damages, claiming willful infringement by the respondent.
The Ask: A Testifying Expert Specializing in Automotive ETC Systems
The respondent approached WIT to provide an expert with a background in electrical or mechanical engineering, with specialized knowledge in vehicle electronics, control systems, and software-hardware integration. The expert should understand the principles of throttle-by-wire technology, particularly the design, function, and mechanisms to communicate with the engine management system to optimize vehicle performance. The expert’s knowledge would also extend to fault diagnosis, troubleshooting, system safety, and compliance with automotive industry standards.
How WIT Was Able to Meet the Expert Need:
In anticipation of an influx of disputes regarding automotive technology, WIT actively recruited a diverse group of world-class academics, industry executives, and former government regulators to support our clients in automotive matters. For this IPR proceeding, WIT recommended a professor of mechanical and civil engineering from a renowned university who serves as Director of the university’s automotive research center. With over four decades of experience in designing and evaluating advanced automotive power systems, he has chaired more than 40 technical sessions for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in areas such as hybrid electric vehicle powertrains, multi-dimensional engine modeling, on-board diagnostics, and engine boosting systems. This expert has been recognized for his contributions to the field with numerous awards. Collectively, he has been deposed and has testified as an expert witness over 60 times on matters involving the design and analysis of advanced mechanical engineering systems, as well as numerous intellectual property and patent disputes related to automotive engineering systems.
The ruling by the PTAB found that the patents in question were either not infringed upon or were invalid, resulting in a dismissal of the matter and a favorable outcome for WIT’s client.
How WIT’s Experts Can Assist in Automotive Technology Disputes
At WIT, we focus on industries with significant risk of litigation and have built an automotive team of testifying experts comprised of world-class academics, industry executives, and former government regulators. Our expert team can support counsel on issues involving automotive technology, including autonomous systems, powertrain systems, regulations and standards, vehicle design, and more.
Contact us to learn more about WIT’s automotive experts and our expert teams across other emerging technology sectors.