Autonomous and 
Mobility Technology

Autonomous vehicle technologies are propelling the future of transportation through AI-driven solutions, advanced sensors, and complex mechanical systems. These rapid developments demand robust intellectual property protection to maintain a decisive advantage. Our attorneys at Brooks Kushman P.C. combine legal insight with technical knowledge to protect your core innovations and position you at the forefront of progress.

Contact us to secure your competitive edge in autonomous vehicle technologies.

Common Intellectual Property Challenges

The autonomous vehicle sector unlocks groundbreaking opportunities for manufacturers, technology companies, and service providers. AI-driven software, advanced sensor packages, and next-generation connectivity solutions promise to redefine mobility while creating valuable intellectual property.

At the same time, overlapping patents, open-source software, and cross-border collaborations can complicate ownership and enforcement. A misstep can halt product rollouts, spark disputes, or erode market position. Working with an experienced autonomous vehicle intellectual property attorney helps you avoid these pitfalls, secure your core innovations, and preserve stakeholder confidence.

How We Can Help

Since 1983, Brooks Kushman has been a trusted partner to companies pioneering advanced technologies. Over the past five years, we have filed over 11,000 patent applications and managed over 15,000 trademarks. Our team draws on expertise in mechanical, electrical, and software fields, positioning us to meet the unique needs of the autonomous vehicle industry.

We emphasize clear guidance, robust enforcement strategies, and direct client collaboration. Whether you need assistance with portfolio development, intellectual property litigation, or global patent applications, our attorneys craft customized solutions tailored to your business goals.

Why Partner with Brooks Kushman?

Our multifaceted experience ensures comprehensive protection for innovations ranging from self-driving algorithms to emerging hardware designs. By identifying critical issues early, we build substantial intellectual property rights and reduce legal risks.

When you collaborate with our autonomous vehicle attorney team, you benefit from a single source for patent filings, licensing agreements, litigation, and post-grant proceedings. Our approach includes consistent communication, ensuring you remain informed at every step. Ultimately, we aim to strengthen your intellectual property position, enabling you to innovate confidently.

Key IP Considerations for Autonomous Vehicles

Convergence of Technologies

Autonomous vehicles combine multiple disciplines, including artificial intelligence, computer vision, robotics, connectivity, software engineering, mechanical systems, and sensor integration. Protecting innovation in this space requires a legal team with cross-functional technical expertise. Our attorneys have experience in each of these areas and work with clients to build IP strategies that cover the full AV technology stack.

Patent Eligibility and Strategic Claiming

Many core AV technologies involve software-based decision-making, sensor fusion, and data processing. These areas face heightened scrutiny under patent eligibility standards in the U.S. and abroad. We help clients navigate these challenges by developing strategic claims that focus on technical improvements, real-world implementation, and interaction with hardware systems, ensuring stronger protection and better alignment with examination guidelines.

Layered IP for System-Level Protection

AV innovation is not confined to a single component. The value often lies in how perception systems, path planning algorithms, control functions, and vehicle hardware all interact. We help clients develop layered patent portfolios that protect innovations across sensing, mapping, localization, motion planning, and system coordination. This approach ensures broader coverage and flexibility as technologies evolve.

Data and Machine Learning

Autonomous vehicles rely heavily on the collection and processing of real-world data for training machine learning models. The quality, quantity, and source of this data are often a core competitive advantage. We help clients secure rights in proprietary datasets, training techniques, and the use of annotated sensor data. We also provide guidance on data licensing, privacy compliance, and risk management for third-party data usage.

Trade Secrets for AI and Control Logic

While some AV innovations can be patented, others—such as proprietary driving policies, model weights, or edge-case handling logic—are often better protected as trade secrets. We assist clients in identifying what to patent and what to keep confidential, and we implement confidentiality protocols, access controls, and supply chain protections to secure sensitive information.

Freedom to Operate and IP Risk Management

The AV space is highly competitive, with many companies filing patents across overlapping technologies and standards. We conduct thorough freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses and competitor landscape reviews to help clients avoid infringement risks and identify potential obstacles early in development. These reviews are especially important when integrating third-party hardware, open-source tools, or connectivity platforms.

Standards, Licensing, and Interoperability

As the AV industry matures, standards for safety, data sharing, and connectivity are beginning to emerge. Participation in standard-setting organizations or use of standard-essential patents (SEPs) requires careful licensing strategies. We help clients understand and manage IP risks related to interoperability, open standards, and regulatory-driven technology integration.

Global Protection Strategy

AV development, testing, and deployment are happening on a global scale. We create international filing strategies that account for regional differences in subject matter eligibility, disclosure requirements, and examination practices. Our team works closely with foreign counsel to ensure that clients maintain strong protection in critical markets such as Europe, China, South Korea, and Japan.

Collaboration Across the Ecosystem

Autonomous vehicles are built through collaboration—between OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, software developers, research institutions, and infrastructure providers. We support clients in structuring joint development agreements, licensing arrangements, and supply chain contracts that clearly define IP ownership and protect proprietary innovation across complex partnerships.

Specialty Practice Areas

• Advanced Displays
• Driver Assistant
• Electronic Control Units
• Safety Features
• Sensors
• V2x