Uber/Waymo Legal Battle Finally Goes To Trial, Results To Determine Future Of Driverless Cars

Uber and Waymo have been locked in an epic legal battle for months over allegations of stolen technology with regards to self-driving cars. After several postponements and more than a few gripes by the judge overseeing the case, the case is finally going to trial. The results of this legal battle are going to have far-reaching effects on the driverless car industry.

The focus of the trial will be for either side to prove that there were or were no shenanigans at work with regards to stolen technology. As those following this case might already know, this kerfuffle was sparked by the actions of former Google/Waymo engineer and then Uber executive Anthony Levandowski.

Waymo is basically accusing the controversial figure of stealing thousands of documents as he was going out the door and then using those files to help Uber create its own fleet of self-driving cars. The cab-hailing firm vehemently denied this and claims to have no such documents in its possession.

In any case, the trial should lead to a resolution of the affair after months of drama. If Waymo ends up winning the case, Uber could pay for damages worth billions of dollars, Inquistr reports. It’s also expected to kill the ride-hailing giant’s ambitions to become a dominant force in the self-driving industry, which former CEO Travis Kalanick was gunning for prior to getting kicked out.

Uber is still recovering from a slew of damaging scandals that have tainted its reputation in practically every single market. While the firm still seems to be doing quite well in terms of revenue, the strained relationship it has with women and minorities, as well as with its own drivers could have permanent repercussions for the company. If that happens, not having a fleet of driverless cabs would be the least of its problems.