Nozzle & Wrench, December 2023

out of a situation in the event that the driver can’t react soon enough. IMAGE FROM PAT2PDF Toyota took driver preferences

registration to protect your creations as soon as possible. Even with a pending patent, your inventions are still protected until the USPTO makes the final decision. We can also keep you updated on the status of your application and recommend other ways to protect your work. If you want to stay on the cutting edge when it comes to automotive innovation, intellectual property protection is essential. Garcia- Zamor has you covered, whatever your IP law needs might be. Contact Garcia-Zamor today to learn more about our services and experience in the practice of IP law, or to set up your first appointment. n

As the push for self-driving cars increases, more and more manufacturers are outsourcing software development to companies that specialize in this. Software models can be trained on gathered data through machine learning, but these software models are unable to be copyrighted as they lack a human author. They are effectively authored by the data that trains them. Examples of Recent Autonomous Vehicle Software Patents So what are some examples of this happening in real life? One recent instance is Doordash’s patent for automated vehicles for autonomous last-mile deliveries. The patent includes a sensor module that helps to navigate the vehicle, as well as an onboard computer system to process data as the vehicle drives along roadways and pedestrian routes. With this software, Doordash can employ self-driving cars to deliver food and perishable goods to customers in real time. The patent, pictured below, was granted in June of last year. IMAGE FROM PAT2PDF Ford also patented a “vehicle anomalous-condition response during autonomous driving.” The patent proposes a self-driving car driven by AI that can learn different ways of reacting to certain unexpected scenarios. The car can essentially “think” its way

into account with their self- driving cars. Their patent, “systems and methods for

generating autonomous navigation routes to match user preferences,” allows drivers to set their own preferences such as avoiding tolls or highways, or even choosing to take the most scenic route. You can add stops on the way to make your drive more enjoyable overall. IMAGE FROM PAT2PDF How Garcia-Zamor Can Help You Protect Your Autonomous Vehicle Software As innovation races forward for self-driving cars, many manufacturers are staking their claims with patents and registered copyrights. Garcia-Zamor can help you do the same. If you have a great idea for a self-driving vehicle, we can draft up the patent application and copyright

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