Case Summary
**Case Summary: Waymo LLC v. Uber Technologies, Inc.**
**Docket Number:** 6136642
**Court:** United States District Court for the Northern District of California
**Filed:** February 2017
**Key Parties:**
- **Plaintiff:** Waymo LLC (a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.)
- **Defendant:** Uber Technologies, Inc. (a ride-hailing company)
**Background:**
The case emerged from allegations by Waymo, which is focused on developing self-driving car technology, against Uber Technologies pertaining to trade secret theft. Waymo accused Uber of unlawfully obtaining proprietary information and technology related to its self-driving car program after former Waymo engineer Anthony Levandowski downloaded thousands of confidential files before leaving Waymo to start his own company, Otto, which was later acquired by Uber.
**Legal Issues:**
Waymo's claims centered on several legal theories:
1. **Trade Secret Misappropriation:** Waymo alleged that Uber had incorporated its stolen trade secrets into its own autonomous vehicle technology.
2. **Breach of Contract:** It was contended that Levandowski breached his contractual obligations by downloading confidential documents and using that information in his new role at Uber.
3. **Conspiracy:** Waymo argued that Uber conspired with Levandowski to steal its intellectual property.
**Proceedings:**
The case progressed through several pretrial motions and discovery disputes, with significant attention on the extent and nature of the evidence relating to the alleged stolen trade secrets. Waymo sought damages for the loss of competitive advantage and for the costs associated with the future development of its technology.
**Outcome:**
In February 2018, the case was settled with Uber agreeing to pay Waymo approximately $245 million in stock and to take steps to ensure that trade secrets would not be used in its autonomous vehicle program. The resolution included an agreement that Uber would maintain a separate development path for its self-driving technology that would not leverage Waymo's intellectual property.
**Significance:**
The Waymo v. Uber case is widely regarded as a landmark case in the field of technology and intellectual property law. It underscored the importance of protecting trade secrets in highly competitive environments, particularly within the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle sector. The case also highlighted the legal repercussions of corporate espionage and set a precedent for future legal disputes involving technology companies regarding trade secrets.