Smart thinking -Our guide to digital manufacturing

Automotive

The automotive industry is constantly changing, adapting to new trends and embracing new technologies. The impact of digital – the development of connected/driverless cars and the development of smart manufacturing – present significant issues, such as the use and exploitation of data, liability issues, cross-border regulation and cybersecurity. Through technology, vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers are using new and innovative ways to do business with industry partners and customers, while having to comply with an ever-increasing burden of legislation and regulation.

Experienced automotive industry lawyers

With decades of experience advising the automotive industry, our Automotive legal team have a unique understanding of the issues that you face every day. We support global OEMs and remarketers of motor vehicles, leading automotive marketplace websites and software providers, wholesale and retail lenders, and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers with a full range of services. We have particular experience in anti-trust, commercial and product liability litigation, corporate transactions, commercial terms, IP and data protection, regulatory, finance and tax.

When litigation cannot be avoided, our trial lawyers can advocate on your behalf in virtually every type of judicial, administrative and alternative dispute resolution proceeding. Our Automotive team also has substantial regulatory experience, and our attorneys can advise you in connection with supervisory examinations, investigations and enforcement actions.

Legal advice on automotive industry matters

Our recent experience includes:

supporting the roll-out of a leading vehicle manufacturer’s connected car consumer app in more than 50 countries – the advice included input into the design of technology systems to ensure legally compliant customer journeys

advising on the supply of a telematics system (which captures the car’s health, driver’s journeys, etc), working on the technology supply agreements, support arrangements and privacy and consumer aspects
advising a global vehicle manufacturer on an antitrust investigation by the European Commission involving five of its competitors, into an alleged cartel around the timing and price increase levels for the introduction of new emission technologies
representing a global automotive products and service provider in a number of strategic acquisitions and investments across the automotive ecosystem
defending one of the world’s largest auto finance companies in a series of nationwide class actions brought under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, challenging discretionary credit pricing by originating dealers as part of an industry-wide challenge
winning summary judgment for an automobile manufacturer against claims by a would-be dealership purchaser, who sued for millions in lost profits damages after the manufacturer turned down the proposed transfer
recovering all intellectual property, a lucrative customer contract and non-compete terms for an automotive client in a trade secrets dispute
re-drafting over 800 dealership agreements for a leading car manufacturer to meet changes in the EU block exemption rules
counseling on licensing needs and U.S. state and federal regulatory compliance, including NHTSA, DMV, privacy and consumer protection regulations
structuring, drafting and negotiating marketing contracts, restrictive covenant agreements, software licensing and software as a service (SaaS) agreements, and supply chain, procurement and logistics contracts
advising on automotive financing including consumer and floor plan lending

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