Patent dispute: Munich court prohibits Renault from selling Clio and MĂ©gane
The automaker infringes a patent held by Broadcom. Renault has already announced its intention to appeal the verdict.
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The Munich I Regional Court has prohibited Renault from selling its best-selling models Clio and Mégane in Germany. The court ruled in favor of the US technology group Broadcom on Wednesday in a patent dispute concerning Ethernet connections (File reference: 7 O 7655/25). This is reported by the specialist service ip fray. Specifically, the dispute concerns Broadcom's patent EP1903733 (“Method and system for an extended range ethernet line code”).
The court decided that Renault infringes this patent in two vehicle models: in the Clio's navigation system and in the MĂ©gane's telematics control unit (TCU). If Broadcom opts for preliminary enforcement pending an expected appeal, Renault will have to cease sales of its Clio and MĂ©gane models in Germany. For this, Broadcom would have to provide security in the amount of several million euros.
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Various media outlets report that Renault intends to appeal the verdict. Alternatively, the two parties can also reach an out-of-court settlement. This often happens in patent disputes, with retroactive license payments frequently being made. The amount is usually kept confidential by the parties involved.
(jo)
