Audi, BMW and Toyota lined up in ITC complaint

Car makers including Toyota, BMW and Audi could face an import ban into the US if the International Trade Commission (ITC) approves a request for a patent investigation.

According to an ITC notice, semiconductor company Advanced Silicon Technologies has accused the car makers as well as various other automobile companies of infringing four of its patents.

The patents, US numbers 6,339,428; 6,546,439; 6,630,935; and 8,933,945, are directed to electronic equipment including video graphics.

The accused products include ‘infotainment’ systems, navigation systems, graphics processors, various electronic devices, and the vehicles.

If approved, the section 337 investigation could, if it goes against the car makers, lead to an ITC ban on the import and sale of the infringing products in the US.

The complaint, filed in December last year but published by the ITC on January 29, also targets Honda and Fujitsu.

The patents are licensed by Advanced Micro Devices in the US.