Uber-owned Otto targeted in trademark suit

Ottomotto, the Uber-owned self-driving truck company, has been targeted in a trademark infringement and unfair competition lawsuit by Canadian firm Clearpath Robotics.

Clearpath is an autonomous robot-maker with a division named Otto Motors, consisting of self-driving warehouse robots.

In a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the Northern District of California on August 24, Clearpath claimed that Otto had infringed on its ‘Otto’ trademark which was likely to “cause confusion, mistake or deception”.

The robotics company claimed that because of the highly similar nature of the marks, it had received a number of misdirected inquiries from the press, potential customers and current customers.

“Since the announcement of the impending acquisition of defendant by non-party Uber, plaintiff has also received numerous additional inquiries evidencing actual confusion,” said the filing.

Clearpath is seeking punitive and exemplary damages and a jury trial.

The company filed a Canadian trademark application for ‘Otto’ in September 2015. An application was filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in February this year.

Otto filed a trademark application for ‘Otto’ with the USPTO one month later in March.

Uber acquired Otto in August this year.