- Tech
-
-
Tech
The gadgets, platforms, and software that make your digital life possible. if it bleeps, clicks or blinks, you’ll find it here.
-
Categories
-
-
Latest
- 12 essential Amazon Echo accessories for your smart home Today 6:00 AM
- Pinterest is reportedly blocking vaccination searches Wednesday 2:53 PM
- Nike’s self-lacing smart sneakers malfunction days after release Wednesday 2:50 PM
- The simple way to connect Apple TV and HomePod Wednesday 5:00 AM
- Did Elon Musk just host PewDiePie’s meme review? Tuesday 8:53 AM
-
-
-
- Internet Culture
-
-
Internet Culture
There’s a community for everyone online.
-
Categories
-
-
Latest
- The truth behind the anti-LGBTQ emoji controversy Wednesday 1:37 PM
- John Mayer steps in to Photoshop Diplo’s Instagram Wednesday 9:28 AM
- This Kickstarter needs $4,000 to digitally erase the rat from ‘The Departed’ Wednesday 8:07 AM
- Bernie Sanders memes resurface after 2020 bid announcement Wednesday 6:27 AM
- The ‘Well yes, but actually no’ meme is here to help you explain things Tuesday 12:07 PM
-
-
-
- Streaming
-
-
Streaming
You’ve cut the cord—now what?
-
Categories
-
-
Latest
- How to watch ‘A Place to Call Home’ online for free Today 5:30 AM
- Report: Disney yanks YouTube ad spending following child exploitation accusations Wednesday 7:56 PM
- These people are organizing Fyre Fest live-action role-play parties Wednesday 6:35 PM
- Stop exploiting the Jussie Smollett case to discredit LGBTQ hate crime victims Wednesday 3:28 PM
- The best Netflix original movies of 2019 Wednesday 3:20 PM
-
-
-
- IRL
-
-
IRL
Where your off- and online identities collide.
-
Categories
-
-
Latest
- The Twitter accounts taking on journalism’s straight, white, cis male problem Today 6:30 AM
- These people are organizing Fyre Fest live-action role-play parties Wednesday 6:35 PM
- White woman berates Mexican restaurant manager for speaking Spanish Wednesday 4:12 PM
- Stop exploiting the Jussie Smollett case to discredit LGBTQ hate crime victims Wednesday 3:28 PM
- The truth behind the anti-LGBTQ emoji controversy Wednesday 1:37 PM
-
-
-
- Social
-
-
Social
If it happens online, it’s here.
-
Categories
-
-
Latest
- Are you being harassed by a Bernie Bro or a Bernie bot? Today 7:30 AM
- Jason Reitman is empowering toxic ‘Ghostbusters’ fanboys Today 6:55 AM
- The Twitter accounts taking on journalism’s straight, white, cis male problem Today 6:30 AM
- 12 essential Amazon Echo accessories for your smart home Today 6:00 AM
- How to watch ‘A Place to Call Home’ online for free Today 5:30 AM
-
-
-
- Bazaar
-
-
Bazaar
The Bazaar specializes in the stuff you don’t actually need…but you really, really want.
-
Categories
-
-
Latest
- Allow your wallet to be your spirit guide during this rad anime sale Tuesday 10:43 AM
- 14 artsy cartoon mugs that’ll help make your days more creative Monday 12:15 PM
- Get your nerd on with ThinkGeek’s Funko Pop B2G1 sale Monday 3:00 AM
- Play all your NES games in high def with the Hyperkin RetroN HD Tuesday 8:39 AM
- The Introvert Activity Book is perfect for those who find solace in alone time Monday 11:30 AM
-
-
-
- More
- Search
See all Editor's Picks →
See all Popular →
Represented by Complex Media, Inc. for advertising sales.
Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Ethics
Latest
- Are you being harassed by a Bernie Bro or a Bernie bot? Today 7:30 AM
- Jason Reitman is empowering toxic ‘Ghostbusters’ fanboys Today 6:55 AM
- The Twitter accounts taking on journalism’s straight, white, cis male problem Today 6:30 AM
- 12 essential Amazon Echo accessories for your smart home Today 6:00 AM
- How to watch ‘A Place to Call Home’ online for free Today 5:30 AM
- Report: Disney yanks YouTube ad spending following child exploitation accusations Wednesday 7:56 PM
- These people are organizing Fyre Fest live-action role-play parties Wednesday 6:35 PM
- White woman berates Mexican restaurant manager for speaking Spanish Wednesday 4:12 PM
- In Pixar short ‘Kitbull,’ a cat and pit bull become unlikely friends Wednesday 3:48 PM
- Stop exploiting the Jussie Smollett case to discredit LGBTQ hate crime victims Wednesday 3:28 PM
- The best Netflix original movies of 2019 Wednesday 3:20 PM
- Pinterest is reportedly blocking vaccination searches Wednesday 2:53 PM
- Nike’s self-lacing smart sneakers malfunction days after release Wednesday 2:50 PM
- How to quickly get the Havoc weapon in Apex Legends Wednesday 2:48 PM
- The truth behind the anti-LGBTQ emoji controversy Wednesday 1:37 PM
Uber owes Waymo $244 million after trade-secret settlement
Uber has agreed to not use Waymo’s self-driving car tech.
Waymo and Uber have finally reached a settlement, one year after the Alphabet-owned self-driving startup sued the ride-hailing giant for allegedly stealing trade secrets.
As part of the settlement, Uber will pay Waymo 0.34 percent of equity stake, or about $244 million of its $72 billion valuation. That’s a win for Uber, considering the $1 billon settlement Waymo sought last year. Uber also agreed not to include Waymo’s self-driving technologies in future automobiles.
After nearly a week of closely watched courtroom drama, Judge William Alsup reportedly announced the settlement in court on Friday to the disbelief of all in attendance. Waymo released a public statement soon after.
“We have reached an agreement with Uber that we believe will protect Waymo’s intellectual property now and into the future,” the statement reads. “We are committed to working with Uber to make sure that each company develops its own technology. This includes an agreement to ensure that any Waymo confidential information is not being incorporated in Uber Advanced Technologies Group hardware and software. We have always believed competition should be fueled by innovation in the labs and on the roads and we look forward to bringing fully self-driving cars to the world.”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi followed up with his own statement, admitting the acquisition of self-driving company Otto should have been handled differently. He also apologized to Uber employees for the distraction the suit has caused.
The “prospect that a couple of Waymo employees may have inappropriately solicited others to join Otto, and that they may have potentially left with Google files in their possession, in retrospect, raised some hard questions.”
Despite the settlement, Khosrowshahi insists Uber isn’t using trade secrets illegally acquired from Waymo.
“To be clear, while we do not believe that any trade secrets made their way from Waymo to Uber, nor do we believe that Uber has used any of Waymo’s proprietary information in its self-driving technology, we are taking steps with Waymo to ensure our Lidar and software represents just our good work.”
The conflict began in February 2017 when Waymo sued Uber for allegedly stealing its self-driving technology and using it in its own vehicles. The suit accused former Waymo employee Anthony Lewandowski of downloading 14,000 confidential files before leaving the company. Immediately after leaving, he formed the self-driving startup Otto, which was purchased by Uber for a whopping $680 million eight months after it was founded.
Waymo claims Lewandowski gave the files he stole, including information about laser-based (LiDAR) technology—a core component of its self-driving efforts—to Uber. Uber has long disputed the claims, insisting it’s been using its own technology to fuel its self-driving car efforts. Uber ended up firing Lewandowski for failing to comply with its internal investigation into the allegations presented by Waymo.

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy is a former technology staff writer at the Daily Dot. He's an expert on smartphones, social media trends, and gadgets. He previously reported on IoT and telecom for RCR Wireless News and contributed to NewBay Media magazine. He now writes for Laptop magazine.