Chinese Lidar Maker Gets US Patent Infringement Claim Terminated

The International Trade Commission has terminated a patent infringement suit by an American lidar maker against a Chinese competitor. But the case will continue in federal court.

San Francisco-based Ouster Inc. sued Shanghai-based Hesai Group in April, seeking to bar Hesai from importing certain autonomous vehicle technology to the U.S. The ITC did not address the merits of Ouster’s claim. The ruling lifts a stay on a federal suit Ouster filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware seeking an injunction and monetary damages against Hesai.

The ITC initially determined on Aug. 24 the claim should be terminated. The commission’s final decision came Tuesday.

“Hesai has always believed all of Ouster’s infringement allegations are baseless and lack merit. Hesai’s lidar products are independently developed, based on years of research and engineering investment, not stolen IP,” Hesai Group said in a news release Thursday.

Lidar is an object detection system that works on the principle of radar but uses light from a laser. Hesai is a global leader in the technology. Its customers include autonomous trucking developer Kodiak Robotics.

Ouster seeks freedom from agreement reached by competitor that’s now a subsidiary.

The ITC decision allows arbitrators time to decide whether Ouster must arbitrate based on a 2020 patent infringement settlement between Hesai and Velodyne Lidar. Ouster purchased Velodyne in February.