USA: GM ignition-switch death claims rise by 3 to 87

GM ignition-switch death claims rise by 3 to 87,  reports Automotive News. I don't pass on every story on this depressing topic, and of course the death toll, horrible as it is, isn't the legal story here, but it is the context in which the rules about recalls in the USA are being debated.

Jaguar Land Rover forced to concede Jiangling's Evoque look-alike

Automotive News Europe reports that Jaguar Land Rover has been forced to accept a Range Rover Evoque lookalike made by Chinese manufacturer Jiangling. The Financial Times also has the story: it also has a story about US warnings about the effect of weak intellectual property protection in China. It seems like a simple matter of inadequate legal protection: here, and in much of the world, there would be copyright, design and trade mark infringements and either passing off or unfair competition claims. Surely some of those would run in China too? If not, one might ask what on earth a European manufacturer is doing, exposing itself to that sort of risk in the Chinese market - to which the answer is, no doubt, that they can't afford not to be in the Chinese market. In any case, absence from that market would not prevent copying - indeed, it would have left a gap that the copyists might have filled even more readily. And at least JLR have secured a slice of the action: the cachet of having the real thing might sustain them a bit longer, too.

Aston Martin sues former designer for trademark infringement, settles

Another report from World Intellectual Property Review:  Aston Martin sued Henrik Fisker, who worked for them as design director from 2001 to 2004, over his projected Thunderbolt car which had so many features that Aston thought similar to theirs that it would infringe its intellectual property rights. These included the 'wings' logo and the design of a grille and side vent.
Fisker allegedly approached the company in November last year about collaborating on the project, but the manufacturer turned him down.However, he proceeded to show a prototype at the Florida-based car show Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida, on 14 March, which resulted in the proceedings being issued.
Now a press release announces:

The parties are pleased to report that they have been able to swiftly and amicably resolve their differences.
The terms of the resolution are confidential except that the Parties wish to confirm 3 points:
1. Henrik Fisker has decided that "Project Thunderbolt" will not be produced;
2. Aston Martin will withdraw the lawsuit; and
3. In view of some apparent misunderstandings surrounding reports of the case, the Parties wish to expressly confirm that the contentions made by AML were those, and only those, made in the lawsuit. The Parties confirm that that they have amicably resolved those matters, as well as any attendant misunderstandings.
The Parties will not be commenting further.

Deloitte sees record FRC fine of £14m over MG Rover role slashed to £3m - 13 Apr 2015 - Accountancy Age

Deloitte sees record FRC fine of £14m over MG Rover role slashed to £3m - 13 Apr 2015 - Accountancy Age: "DELOITTE has had its record £14m fine - imposed on it for its controversial role in the collapse of MG Rover - slashed to £3m after it successfully overturned a series of charges of misconduct laid against it by the profession's watchdog."



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Georgia dealership group sues Shelby American over sales leads

Georgia dealership group sues Shelby American over sales leads: "Shelby American Inc. has been hit with a lawsuit alleging the company deliberately violated a retail sales agreement with Stephen Becker Automotive Group, a Suwanee, Ga., dealership group.

The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, alleges that Shelby American began to sell cars directly to the public in December 2014."



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Speed limits - GOV.UK

The national speed limit for HGVs (over 7.5 tonnes) has been increased (fom yesterday) from 40mph to 50mph on
single carriageways, and from 50mph to 60mph on dual carriageways. Full information on all limits can be found on this page.  The legislation is the Motor Vehicles (Variation of Speed Limits) (England and Wales) Regulations 2014 which can be found on here.

US court rules Ford’s Sync system did not infringe patent

World Intellectual Property Review reports that a jury at the US District Court for the Western District of Washington has given Ford a double victory in its dispute with Eagle Harbor Holdings, ruling that Ford did not infringe four patents owned by EHH and that its trade secrets were misappropriated.
The four patents owned by the technology licensing company cover technology used in a car computer system. EHH claimed that Ford’s Sync computer system, used in its Focus and C-Max models, infringed its patents. Ford counterclaimed for invalidity and also alleged that its trade secrets had been misappropriated.
To of the patents were held to be invalid, and the other two were not infringed.
The trade secrets claim revolved around a Ford document which had been in the possession of MediusTech, a subsdiary of EHH, when it was working as an adviser for Navox, a technology company that worked with Ford to develop the Sync system. Ford said EHH knew the information in the document was confidential, but used it to obtain a patent.