[ad_1]
- General Motors sued Ford for trademark infringement of its “BlueCruise” autonomous driving technology.
- “Ford knew exactly what it was doing” when it used a brand name similar to GM’s “Cruise”, GM said.
- “We think GM Cruise’s assertion … is baseless and frivolous,” a Ford spokesperson said.
General Motors filed a lawsuit against Ford on Friday for its “BlueCruise” brand of its hands-free driving technology.
Ford’s April announcement of its BlueCruise technology amounted to a “cheeky attempt” to co-opt the GM brand, according to the complaint. GM said the name infringed the trademark of its subsidiary, Cruise, and its autonomous vehicle software, Super Cruise, launched in 2017.
“Ford knew exactly what he was doing,” the complaint said. “If Ford wanted to adopt a single new brand, it could easily have done so without using the word ‘Cruise’, as shown in Ford’s branding for the same automated driving technology in their luxury car models.”
In some models, Ford’s hands-free functions were labeled “ActiveGlide”.
GM in its lawsuit – filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California – charged Ford with trademark infringement and unfair competition. GM sought damages and an order that would permanently prevent Ford from using the mark.
Ford said the brand was an extension of cruise control features that automakers have long used.
“We believe GM Cruise’s assertion … is baseless and frivolous,” a spokesperson said via email. “For decades, drivers have understood what cruise control is, all manufacturers offer it, and ‘cruise’ is a common shorthand for this ability.”
The company said other automakers are using similar “cruise” features, including Hyundai’s “Smart Cruise Control” and BMW’s “Active Cruise Control”.
The lawsuit detailed an “extended” exchange between the two companies following Ford’s announcement in April. During the talks, the companies “agreed to several standstill agreements” but were unable to come up with a solution, GM said.
“Cruise and GM are not taking this complaint lightly,” the complaint states.
[ad_2]
Source link