Where Will The Automotive Patent Wars Begin?

Automakers do not want a patent war to break out, and some have even gone to great lengths to employ creative strategies that leverage large patent portfolios without asserting them in litigation. That said, high tech companies developing technology to be integrated in vehicles by automakers may not be so like-minded. Silicon Valley has certainly had its fair share of patent wars over the past decade or two, and may be worn out from them. But automakers and high tech companies in Asia, on the other hand, may have a different appetite when it comes to patent wars.

The number of high profile Chinese entrants in the connected, electric, and autonomous vehicle space is staggering, and there are many more electric vehicle brands that are less well-known. At the same time, there are numerous large high tech companies in China rivaling the Silicon Valley tech companies.  As automakers and high tech companies become more competitive and innovative in similar spaces,