Photo: Bollinger Motors
By now, everyone is familiar with the folks at Bollinger, who have developed an angular EV, as well as with the people at Munro Vehicles, who also have an angular-design EV in their lineup. Recently, the former has sued the latter, and it is because their vehicles are too similar. The plaintiffs claim that their patents were infringed, and that a contract was breached.
The legal battle also involves the head designer of Munro Vehicles, who used to be a contracted designer for Bollinger. The Bollinger brand was first to unveil its square-shaped SUV and pickup truck. The folks at Munro Vehicles showed theirs several years later, and both firms had the same person in charge of design.
The people at Bollinger have accused the Scots at Munro of infringing two of their patents, both covering an original vehicle design that is unique. The case mentions the use of exposed hinges, hardware, extensive flat surfaces, flat and parallel body lines, the distinctive shape of the wheel arches, and even the aesthetic beveled surfaces.
As you might have observed, there are several similarities between these vehicles, and it does not look great since one of the brands hired a former contractor who used to design vehicles for the other company. We will let justice proceed with its course, as it is not our job to judge who is guilty here, but we can see why the suit was filed in the first place.
It is important to note that the former contractor is also accused by Bollinger of retaining intellectual property and other materials, as well as disclosing those to his new employer, which reportedly violates an older Non-Disclosure Agreement between him and the firm.
The designer was even accused of sharing screenshots of CAD models on social media to promote his work, and his former contractors at Bollinger claim that he was asked to stop with a cease-and-desist order, but he did not comply.
Both accusations are serious, but it still does not explain the entire situation, as the lead designer's work still needs to be approved before being turned into a prototype and then into a working vehicle.
In case you were wondering how a patent can be infringed by another company if it hires the person who first thought up the product, we should note that it all depends on who filed the patent application, and what was the contractual relationship between the person, the company in question, and so on.
In other words, if you did work for a company under the terms of a contract, that work no longer belongs to you, but to the company, while you were compensated for it with money.
Representatives of Munro Vehicles have told TechCrunch that the company is aware of the allegations raised by Bollinger Motors, and that it takes them seriously and intends to defend its position over the design of their Munro MK-1 all-terrain vehicle.
Several articles from international media outlets, including autoevolution, are filed with the complaint, along with the patents and the Mutual Nondisclosure Agreement between Bollinger Motors and its former contractor.
The Scottish firm called Munro Vehicles was founded back in 2021, while the Michigan-based Bollinger Motors was founded in 2015.
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages, but want the amount to be determined at the time of trial, along with a permanent injunction against both defendants in this case, as the report notes.
The people at Bollinger have accused the Scots at Munro of infringing two of their patents, both covering an original vehicle design that is unique. The case mentions the use of exposed hinges, hardware, extensive flat surfaces, flat and parallel body lines, the distinctive shape of the wheel arches, and even the aesthetic beveled surfaces.
As you might have observed, there are several similarities between these vehicles, and it does not look great since one of the brands hired a former contractor who used to design vehicles for the other company. We will let justice proceed with its course, as it is not our job to judge who is guilty here, but we can see why the suit was filed in the first place.
It is important to note that the former contractor is also accused by Bollinger of retaining intellectual property and other materials, as well as disclosing those to his new employer, which reportedly violates an older Non-Disclosure Agreement between him and the firm.
The designer was even accused of sharing screenshots of CAD models on social media to promote his work, and his former contractors at Bollinger claim that he was asked to stop with a cease-and-desist order, but he did not comply.
Both accusations are serious, but it still does not explain the entire situation, as the lead designer's work still needs to be approved before being turned into a prototype and then into a working vehicle.
In case you were wondering how a patent can be infringed by another company if it hires the person who first thought up the product, we should note that it all depends on who filed the patent application, and what was the contractual relationship between the person, the company in question, and so on.
In other words, if you did work for a company under the terms of a contract, that work no longer belongs to you, but to the company, while you were compensated for it with money.
Representatives of Munro Vehicles have told TechCrunch that the company is aware of the allegations raised by Bollinger Motors, and that it takes them seriously and intends to defend its position over the design of their Munro MK-1 all-terrain vehicle.
Several articles from international media outlets, including autoevolution, are filed with the complaint, along with the patents and the Mutual Nondisclosure Agreement between Bollinger Motors and its former contractor.
The Scottish firm called Munro Vehicles was founded back in 2021, while the Michigan-based Bollinger Motors was founded in 2015.
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages, but want the amount to be determined at the time of trial, along with a permanent injunction against both defendants in this case, as the report notes.
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