Tesla hit with suit over tech that eases ‘range anxiety’
Dispute over inventions that tackle electric vehicle industry’s hurdle to commercial success | Patent-in-suits allegedly represent a revolutionary advance for the automotive sector.
Tesla is being sued over its use of technology in its vehicles that soothe ‘range anxiety’—when drivers hesitate to adopt electric vehicles out of fear that the range of the vehicles would not meet their needs.
Automotive manufacturer iQar filed a lawsuit against the multinational on Tuesday, June 20, at the US District Court for the Western District of Texas alleging infringement of US patent numbers 7,925,426; 8,972,161; 10,829,002; 10,850,616; and 10,882,399.
The ‘largest hurdle’
In the complaint, the Delaware-based firm outlined how the automotive industry has long understood that range anxiety is a significant—if not the single largest—hurdle to the commercial success of electric vehicles.
The Tesla vehicles, the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y, all infringe by using patented technology developed nearly 20 years ago to overcome this pressing issue, said iQar, which is seeking a declaratory judgment of infringement as well as damages.
Developed before November 2005, the technology covers inventions that use data and various information sources to increase the efficiency of vehicles, the company explained.
What’s more, the complaint added that the inventions claimed in the patents-in-suit provide technological solutions that “directly address” the issue of range anxiety.
“The inventors realised that the claimed use of sensor data, data and other information could increase the efficiency and range of an electric vehicle by determining the speed at which a vehicle should travel and/or the power that should be applied,” argued iQar.
Further, the inventions take into account that range anxiety could be further reduced “by intelligently routing vehicles to charging stations or other destinations as appropriate”.
A questionable ‘solution’
Range anxiety has long been a major concern for Tesla—an obstacle that prompted it to infringe, contended iQuar.
Pointing to reports published over the past decade, the company noted how the multinational—founded by controversial entrepreneur Elon Musk—acknowledged the “threat” range anxiety posed to the company, and that “[Tesla’s] future growth is dependent upon consumers’ willingness to adopt electric vehicles”.
In an effort to assuage its target consumers’ fears, the complaint said that Tesla had unveiled marketing materials claiming that it had solved range anxiety,”—but this solution, according to iQuar, is mere infringement.
Tesla’s alleged violations include relying on the inventions of patents-in-suit to predict a user’s destination when it determines the vehicle lacks sufficient charge for the entire route, said the lawsuit.
iQar went on to add that: “Tesla touts that its solution to range anxiety involves the collection and use of sensor and other data, such as the route, the initial battery pack temperature, forecasted wind speed and direction so that we can more accurately predict your energy consumption.”
Further, iQar accused Tesla of using the patented tech to “collect and analyse sensor information, associate current conditions with route segments, and upload that information to a remote database”.
“Tesla’s use of the inventions in the patents-in-suit allowed Tesla to overcome consumer range anxiety and led to Tesla’s commercial success,” it insisted.
iQar said that it had informed Tesla of its power management and connected car patent portfolio at least as early as January 28, 2021, in a notice letter sent to Tesla’s vice president of legal affairs.
The letter identified each patent-in-suit and specifically highlighted the asserted ’426 patent.
WIPR has contacted Tesla for comment.
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