A judge in Munich ordered the sale ban in a case brought against Ford by Japanese patent operator IP Bridge. That reports the German Wirtschaftswoche. Cars currently at dealerships may also be destroyed because Ford is breaking the rules.
A total of eight patent owners complained about the infringement of the mobile communications licenses. Ford has not yet commented on the matter. The manufacturer can still appeal the verdict.
Chips in cars
Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the techniques that automakers use in their vehicles. In addition, more and more lawsuits are being filed by patent holders to make car manufacturers pay license fees for the use of all kinds of technology. The chips must be built into every car because of the electric drive, but they are also used for entertainment and navigation functions.
Last year Ford sold about 126,400 cars in Germany, good for millions of euros in turnover. The group was the seventh largest car manufacturer in the German market.
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