The Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) is asking its members to contribute to the association’s legal fund and to the CAR Coalition after Ford Global Technologies sued ABPA member Empire Auto Parts for design patent infringement. In an Oct. 29 column on the ABPA website, Executive Director Edward T. Salamy said the Ford complaint, which […]
Ford Sues Empire Auto Parts for Design Patent Infringement on F-150 and Bronco Sport Parts
Complaint filed in Dallas federal court also lists 160 Empire catalog items Ford ties to its design patents. Ford Global Technologies LLC, the Ford Motor Co. subsidiary that holds the automaker’s intellectual property, sued Empire Auto Parts LLC for design patent infringement Oct. 26, alleging the aftermarket collision parts distributor sold replacement grilles, hoods, fenders, […]
ABPA Consumer Study Pairs Total Loss Findings With Industry Push This Week on REPAIR Act
The Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) on May 14 released a consumer research report on the financial and mobility consequences of vehicle total loss determinations, then on May 15 followed with an advocacy push urging the industry to contact Congress on the federal REPAIR Act ahead of what ABPA describes as the bill’s next legislative […]
USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation Into Aftermarket Collision Repair Parts Targeted by GM Lawsuit
Federal trade agency names 20 respondents in design patent probe. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted to institute an investigation into aftermarket vehicle parts that General Motors says infringe its design patents, the agency announced March 10. The investigation, designated 337-TA-1491, names 20 respondents across the aftermarket parts supply chain — from Taiwanese and […]
GM Sues Multiple Aftermarket Parts Manufacturers, Distributors and Estimating Software Providers for Design Patent Infringement
Four federal lawsuits target parts manufacturers, parts distributors and collision estimating software providers in latest attempt at OEM design patent enforcement. General Motors LLC and GM Global Technology Operations LLC filed four patent infringement lawsuits Feb. 3 targeting numerous companies in the collision repair parts industry, alleging widespread copying of patented vehicle component designs. The […]
Vehicle Right-to-Repair Support Among Consumers Rises in New Poll
Support for federal legislation climbs to 83% from 75% in 2023 survey. Support for federal vehicle right-to-repair legislation has increased among Americans, with 83% backing the REPAIR Act compared to 75% in a 2023 poll, according to a new survey released by the CAR Coalition. The poll, conducted June 8-10 by The Tarrance Group among […]
European Council Gives Final Approval for Repair Clause Addition to Design Protection Legislation
Legislation provides an exemption from design protection regulations for some car parts used for repair in the 27 countries in the European Union. The European Council adopted the two legislative acts on October 10 that revised its directive on the legal protection of designs and the amended regulation on community designs. The texts adopted update […]
Federal Appeals Court Rules in Favor of LKQ in Design Patent Case Against GM
In a precedential decision, the full court overturned a common test for determining obviousness of a design patent. Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) ruled in favor of an appeal by LKQ Corporation in a case over a design patent held by General Motors (GM) on a 2018-1022 Chevrolet Equinox […]
Utah Collision Repair Facility Owner Supports Federal Design Patent Reform in CAR Coalition Video
In a new video from the CAR Coalition, independent collision repair facility owner Greg Southwick, from Falcon Collision and Customs in Grantsville, Utah, explains the real-life impacts of vehicle manufacturer design patents, underscoring his support for federal right to repair solutions. In the video embedded above, Southwick describes a recent challenge replacing a truck hood […]
White Paper Examines Impact of OEM Collision Repair Part Design Patents on Consumers, Industry and Environment
Some patented crash parts cost more than twice comparable, non-patented parts due to OEM “Backdoor Monopoly” according to the paper. A new white paper examines how automotive OEM design patents impact consumers, local economies, and the environment. Blaire O’Neal, PhD, a researcher and consultant who specializes in issues around social justice and technology, released the […]