Ford, ex-exec in trade secrets fight

THE MOTOR CITY -- During a-27-year career at Ford Motor Co., Mike Richards manage the launching of the first Lincoln Navigator and held several high level advertising positions. At one-point, he had an office next to now-CEO Mark Fields. Despite being let go in 2008, when the auto-maker was slashing jobs to endure the business slowdown, "I nevertheless have blue-blood," Richards told Automotive News this month. "I 'm nevertheless as true to Ford as they come."But in his new existence as a computer software business executive, Ford has unexpectedly become Richards' opponent. His company, Austin, Tx-based Versata Software, is suing Ford for $1-billion, accusing the auto-maker of stealing its trade secrets to make a copy-cat version of an application used to aid configure automobiles under-development and decrease warranty expenses. Gm, Nissan Motor and Fiat-Chrysler are among other auto makers that Versata states use its applications. In statements and courtroom filings, Ford h-AS denied stealing something from Versata. It informed a federal judge in Texas that it's a "royalty-free license to make derivative works" of the Versata software it employed until suddenly terminating the relationship by the end of 2014. Ford obtained two patents on the alternative software in 2013. "Ford's patented applications will not use or infringe any Versata intellectual-property and Versata has offered no foundation for his or her claims against us," Ford stated in a statement a week ago. "We're convinced that people will finally prevail in this situation and we look ahead to the chance to present our proof at demo." Ford and Versata started working jointly in 1998, while Richards was a Lincoln brand supervisor. He did not understand anything about it or use it afterward but states Versata's application program helped increase Ford earnings throughout a really productive time for the auto-maker. "Lots of things that have been going on that were tailwinds for us," he explained, "were likely due to this app."
Davis: Conflict may continue years.

Brick wall

In February, Ford filed a federal suit in Michigan seeking to maintain its possession of the newest applications. Versata filed its own national suit in Tx in May. The firms are tussling over which state should hear the situation, and Versata has established an intense media campaign to force Ford. It employed a high profile public-relations business in Dc and Lanny Davis, a former White House special counsel to President Bill Clinton, to publicize the claims. Versata started a news conference in a resort near Detroit the other day by displaying clips in the film Flash of Genius, the narrative of inventor Robert Kearns winning a $10.1 million verdict against Ford in 1990 for stealing his style for intermittent windshield wipers. As a backdrop for the occasion, Versata built a faux-brick wall using a hole inside to symbolize the the inner split it says Ford violated by having individuals with information of Versata's applications develop the inhouse alternative. In front of the wall, it set a close-lifesize cut-out of Henry Ford as well as a banner using a quotation attributed to him: "Achievement will not come by replica." In a June filing, Ford called Versata's argument about the way the brand new software was created "position conjecture." In a court filing last week, Ford said it never had entry to Versata's source-code. Davis stated that is immaterial because Ford reverse engineered Versata's application to create a replacement that works exactly the same manner. He estimated the conflict could drag-on for up to to 2 years and stated that Versata meant to go to test, although he did not rule out the chance of money or other resolution.

No deal resentment

Though Ford dropped the suit submitted by Kearns -- who later won an even bigger verdict against Chrysler Corp. -- a national jury in WA this year declined infringement allegations by a company that promised Ford stole the engineering behind its Sync connectivity system and several other characteristics. Richards, president of world-wide automotive enterprise for Versata's parent organization, Trilogy, mentioned he is disappointed to be battling Ford in courtroom. But he claims it is essential to look after the rights of his business as well as other small-scale providers. He insists the situation isn't connected to any resentment toward his former company or or higher Versata's reduction of a large contract. "There is no way we would battle that," Richards stated. "If they could do better [than Versata], that is usually their proper, provided they do this within regulations."

It's possible for you to reach Nick Bunkley at [email protected]. -- Follow Nick on

Tags:
Litigation
Automakers
Executives

Ford
Patent Infringement

Marketing

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19.07.2015
ID:2493

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