Automotive News reports that BMW has been hit with a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Paice LLC and The Abell Foundation in the U.S. District Court in Maryland. The lawsuit alleges that BMW has infringed on their patents involving hybrid engines.
The story notes that Paice was involved in similar litigation with several automakers, including Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia. Those automakers subsequently paid Paice to license its technology.
“Beginning in the early 2000s, Paice taught BMW how its patented technology could maximize fuel efficiency and reduce emissions without sacrificing driving performance, the suit alleges. The company held in-person meetings and shared technical materials with BMW’s senior management and BMW engineers,” the story reports.
“BMW readily expressed interest in Paice’s technology because BMW was still pushing its diesel technology and was years behind other leading automakers that were actively pursuing hybrids,” the 31-page complaint states. BMW eventually dismissed Paice after learning what it could about Paice’s technology, the filing noted.