Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Electric car maker Rivian is set to go on trial over allegations that it encouraged former Tesla employees to steal trade secrets. A final hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in the Santa Clara court after Rivian denied the allegations repeatedly.
This follows a tentative ruling by Judge Theodore C. Zayner of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, who denied Rivian’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, stating Tesla presented enough evidence for a trial.
As reported by Reuters earlier today, the company led by Elon Musk filed the lawsuit in 2020, accusing Rivian of poaching employees and misusing confidential information.
Despite Rivian’s claims of investigating the alleged trade thefts, the Judge found Rivian’s evidence insufficient to prove the investigation was adequate.
“Tesla’s evidence shows that some Rivian employees were not thoroughly investigated or disciplined,” the judge wrote in the tentative order.
In an interview published earlier this week, Rivian’s founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe, said the company will not integrate Apple CarPlay into its vehicles.
The software is integrated into over 800 models from more than 20 brands including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Hyundai, and Lucid Motors.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
