Ford Accused in Lawsuit of Infringing Turn Signal Patent
(Bloomberg) - Ford Motor Co., the second-largest U.S. automaker, was sued over claims it infringed a patent on technology for an automatic turn signal. Ford’s three-blink lane change technology infringes a 2008 patent held by Richard Ponziani, a former automotive design engineer for companies including General Motors Co. and Valeo SA, according to a complaint made public in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.
Ford pitched the turn signal as the solution to one of the top 10 driving pet peeves when it announced the technology in 2009. The turn indicator is designed to blink three times and automatically shut off. The technology is used in Ford’s F Series truck, Taurus, Edge and Fusion models, according to the complaint, which seeks unspecified damages.
Kristina Adamski, a spokeswoman for Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford, declined to comment on the complaint. The case is Ponziani v. Ford Motor Co., 14-cv-00266, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).
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