Earlier this summer, General Motors fired off a lawsuit at Ford Motor Company over the Blue Oval’s use of “Cruise” in BlueCruise. GM said Ford’s use of the word was an infringement on its trademark for its Super Cruise tech and its Cruise company. GM also said at the time that it hoped it could settle the matter with Ford amicably and that now appears to be the case, according to a new Detroit Free Press report.
GM told the publication that it had resolved the lawsuit with Ford, though details about specifics remain scarce at the moment. GM wouldn’t provide anything more to the Freep, though a Ford spokesperson alluded that the company may be able to use BlueCruise branding going forward. The settlement isn’t final, either, as Ford said the process is ongoing. On Friday, lawyers for both automakers filed a notice with the U.S. District Court Northern District California saying the parties were working toward an agreement.
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Ford announced BlueCruise back in April as the brand’s SAE Level 2 semi-self-driving system. It uses a combo of radars and cameras to survey the car’s surroundings and assist drivers. The lawsuit between the two heated up in August when Ford asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to rescind GM’s trademark rights on Cruise and Super Cruise. The company cited other companies that use “Cruise” in a similar fashion to Ford and GM, including Hyundai (Smart Cruise Control) and BMW (Active Cruise Control).
Now, though, the two won’t be duking it out in court, though they have 60 days to report back to court if they can’t hammer out a deal. It’s an odd dust-up between two of the country’s largest automakers, who are likely eager to stay out of the courtroom if possible. We’ll keep our eyes out for an official announcement on any settlements between the two companies as they finalize their deal.
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