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Waymo Seeks $2.6 Billion From Uber Over a Single Secret
SAN FRANCISCO — Waymo, a unit of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is seeking about $2.6 billion from Uber for a claim that the ride-hailing service stole a single trade secret related to self-driving cars, a lawyer for Uber said on Wednesday.
The Uber lawyer, Bill Carmody, disclosed the figure during a hearing in United States District Court for the Northern District of California, where the companies were discussing whether a trial in the case will begin next month.
The $2.6 billion figure is for just one of several trade secrets that Waymo says Uber stole. The total amount of Waymo’s damages request was not publicly disclosed at the hearing.
Waymo claimed in a lawsuit this year that a former employee, Anthony Levandowski, downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving to set up a self-driving truck company that Uber later acquired. Uber has denied using any of Waymo’s trade secrets.
Waymo’s allegations have already prompted Uber to fire Mr. Levandowski, who had directed Uber’s efforts toward the development of self-driving cars. It is just one of several legal headaches that the company is facing.
Jury selection in the case is scheduled to begin on Oct. 10. However, Waymo has asked Judge William Alsup to delay the trial, arguing that it needs more time to investigate new evidence.
Uber said Waymo was trying to stall because it had no evidence that Uber obtained Waymo’s confidential information, according to court filings.
Judge Alsup did not issue a decision from the bench about the scheduling for the trial.
Driverless Cars and the Future of Transportation
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A Fast Rise and Fall: Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, wanted to grow fast. Now, the company faces safety concerns as it contends with angry regulators, anxious employees and skepticism about the viability of the business.
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