# Autonomous vehicle patent attorneys for self-driving teams

> Flat-fee autonomous vehicle patent attorney services for self-driving and ADAS teams. Start with a $999 patentability search, refunded if it isn't patentable.

Page: https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles/  
Title: Autonomous Vehicle Patent Attorney for Self-Driving Teams  
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://arapackelaw.com/) / [Industries](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/) / [Autonomous vehicles](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles/)

We protect the sensors, the driving software and the product name, filed before road testing makes them public. One flat fee for each step.

- $999 patentability search
- No hourly billing
- Registered patent attorneys

## For the people who build vehicles that drive themselves.

From a perception startup to a supplier adding driver assistance to its line, the work starts the same way. Find out what is new, then protect it before it goes on a public road.

- **Self-driving software startups** Teams building perception, prediction and planning software, protected before the first pilot or investor meeting.
- **ADAS and automotive suppliers** Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers adding driver assistance, with ownership checked against the OEM program agreement.
- **Sensor and lidar makers** Lidar, radar, camera and sensor fusion hardware, and the calibration methods that make the readings reliable.
- **Robotaxi and delivery robot teams** Fleets, sidewalk robots and autonomous trucks, from the vehicle itself to the remote operations behind it.

## Four things worth protecting in an autonomous vehicle.

An autonomous vehicle is hardware, software and systems engineering at once, so most products carry more than one kind of protection. A patent on how it works, a design patent on how it looks and a trademark on its name each stop a different kind of copy.

### Sensors and vehicle hardware (utility patent)

The sensor, its mounting and calibration, and the hardware that ties the vehicle together. Claims are written around what your design does better than what is on the road today, such as a clearer reading in rain or a faster failover.

- Lidar, radar and camera systems
- Sensor cleaning and calibration
- Drive-by-wire and redundancy
- Vehicle-to-vehicle communication

### The driving software (utility patent)

Perception, sensor fusion, mapping, localization, path planning and control, claimed as a specific technical process tied to how the vehicle behaves, rather than as an abstract idea.

- Sensor fusion and perception
- Mapping and localization
- Path planning and control
- Simulation and validation methods

### The look of the vehicle (design patent)

The ornamental design of a robotaxi body, a delivery robot, a sensor housing or an in-cabin display, protected for 15 years from grant.

- Vehicle and robot bodies
- Sensor pods and housings
- In-cabin screens and interfaces

Covered by The RLG Guarantee (USPTO denies it, full refund).

### The product and company name (trademark)

Clear and file the name before it goes on the vehicle, the app riders open and your pitch deck, so the name you build a reputation on is one you can keep.

- Platform and feature names
- Fleet and app names
- Logos

Covered by The RLG Guarantee (Approved, or your money back).

**Some things stay secret.** Training data, model weights, labeling methods and test logs no one can see from the vehicle may be worth more as trade secrets than as published patents. Your attorney tells you which on your first call.

## Search, provisional, utility. Flat fees at every step.

Every step is quoted before any work begins, and the search fee is credited toward a design or non-provisional application. Most autonomy teams file a provisional before public road testing, a demo ride or a published safety report, then the full application within 12 months.

### Start here, Patentability search

**$999** flat fee. Patentable or your money back. Credited toward a design or non-provisional application. Report in about 5 days.

- An invention discovery call with your attorney
- A search of US and foreign patents and published applications
- A written patentability report and a review call

Covered by [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/) (Not patentable, full refund).

### Then, Provisional patent

**$2,500 to $3,500** flat fee. . Patent pending the day it is filed.

- A strategy call to capture how the system works
- Flowcharts and system diagrams included
- You review and approve it before filing

Covered by [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/) (Patentability issues, full refund).

### Within 12 months, Non-provisional patent

**$7,000 to $12,000** flat fee. Drawings and USPTO filing fees included. Filed before your 12-month deadline.

- System and method claims written for examination
- Formal drawings and USPTO filing fees
- Complex systems quoted flat on your call

Flat fee, not covered by the guarantee.

### Alongside the patent

- **Design patent, $3,200.** For the vehicle, robot or sensor housing, office actions included. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- **Trademark, $2,000.** For the product name, USPTO fee for one class included. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.

## Patent rules and road rules. Plan for both.

A patent decides who can make and sell the technology. Federal safety standards and state permits decide when it can go on a public road. Every step toward the road shows the technology to more people, so the filing has to come first.

### Patent, who can make and sell it

1. **Search** ($999). Patentable, or your money back
2. **Provisional** (File first). Patent pending, before road testing
3. **Full application** (Month 12). Within 12 months
4. **Examination** (USPTO). The USPTO reviews the claims
5. **Granted**. Rights you can enforce

### Road, when the public sees it

1. **Simulation** (Use an NDA). Software tested in virtual miles
2. **Closed course** (Use an NDA). Track testing with partners
3. **Public road testing** (Disclosure risk). Under a state permit where required
4. **Collision reports** (Records go public). Filed with regulators, often published
5. **Deployment**. Riders, customers and new versions

**File before you test in public.** A public road test, a demo ride for investors, a conference video or a published safety report can make an invention public. The US gives you one year after your own disclosure, but most other countries do not. File at least a provisional first.

- **Claim the technical result.** Driving software is often rejected as an abstract idea when it is claimed as a goal. Claims tied to how the vehicle senses, decides or moves, such as a faster stop or a more accurate position, hold up better in examination. [Can you patent an algorithm](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/ai/can-you-patent-an-algorithm/)
- **Compliance is not protection.** Manufacturers certify that a vehicle meets the federal motor vehicle safety standards, and some states require permits to test or deploy. None of that stops a competitor from copying the technology. Only a patent, design patent or trademark does that. [What founders need to know about autonomous vehicle patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/autonomous-vehicle-patents/)
- **Check who owns it first.** Suppliers often invent on an OEM's program. The development agreement decides what is background IP you keep and what the customer can claim, so it is read before anything is filed. [How patent licensing agreements work](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-licensing-agreement/)

*General information, not legal or regulatory advice. Safety standards, permits and reporting rules depend on the vehicle, its level of automation and where it operates.*

## Services for autonomous vehicle companies.

One firm for the patent, the brand and the agreements around them.

- [Utility patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents.md). Protect how the system works.
- [Software patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent.md). Protect the driving software and its methods.
- [Provisional patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents.md). Patent pending before road testing. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Design patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents.md). Protect how the vehicle looks. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Trademarks](https://arapackelaw.com/trademarks/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/trademarks.md). Register the product and company name. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [IP licensing agreements](https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property-licensing-agreements/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property-licensing-agreements.md). License technology to OEMs and partners.
- [Contracts and agreements](https://arapackelaw.com/contracts-agreements/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/contracts-agreements.md). Supplier, customer and development contracts.
- [Privacy and data protection](https://arapackelaw.com/privacy-and-data-protection/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/privacy-and-data-protection.md). Policies for the data your vehicles collect.

## Before you file.

### Can self-driving software be patented?

Often, yes, when it is claimed as a specific technical process, such as how sensor data is fused, how the vehicle localizes itself or how it plans a path, tied to a result in how the vehicle behaves. Claiming the goal, a car that drives itself, is not enough. The patentability search shows where your approach stands before you file.

### When should we file a patent on autonomous vehicle technology?

Before anyone outside your team sees it work. Public road testing, demo rides, conference talks, safety reports and investor decks shared without an NDA can all make an invention public. The US gives inventors one year after their own disclosure, but most other countries require filing first, so a provisional keeps both options open.

### Who owns an invention we make on an OEM program?

It depends on the development agreement. Many separate background IP, which each side brought in, from foreground IP created on the program, and some assign new inventions to the customer. Your attorney reads the agreement before filing, so you protect what is yours without claiming what is not.

### Patent, copyright or trade secret for autonomous vehicle technology?

Usually a mix. A patent protects how the system works, even against someone who writes different code. Copyright protects the code and interface as written. Trade secrets suit training data, model weights and test logs that never leave your servers. Your attorney maps each part on the first call.

### Why work with an autonomous vehicle patent attorney?

Because the claims have to describe sensors, software and vehicle behavior precisely enough to survive examination. Our registered patent attorneys have engineering and software backgrounds, and every step is quoted flat before work begins, so you know the cost of protecting each part of the stack.

### How much does an autonomous vehicle patent cost with your firm?

Flat fees at every step. A $999 patentability search, a provisional application at $2,500 to $3,500 depending on the invention, and a non-provisional application at $7,000 to $12,000 with drawings and USPTO filing fees included. A design patent is $3,200. Every fee is quoted before work begins, and the search fee is credited toward a design or non-provisional application.

### What does The RLG Guarantee cover for autonomous vehicle technology?

The patentability search, the provisional application, design patents and trademarks. If the search finds your invention is not novel, you get a full refund or another search. If patentability issues come up on your provisional, a full refund or more searches. If the USPTO denies your design application, you get a full refund. If it refuses your trademark, you get a refund or a new mark. Non-provisional applications are not covered. Refunds are subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.

## Your attorneys

- [Andrew Rapacke](https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/andrew-rapacke/), Managing Partner, Registered Patent Attorney. Former Naval Engineering Officer. M.S. in electrical and electronics engineering.
- Chris Watt, Registered Patent Attorney, Former USPTO Examiner. Software, AI and machine learning, and MedTech. A full-stack software engineer.

Meet the team at https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/

## Go deeper on autonomous vehicle patents.

- [Autonomous Vehicle Patents: What Founders and Engineers Need to Know](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/autonomous-vehicle-patents/)
- [Can You Patent an Algorithm and What Does It Actually Take to Qualify](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/ai/can-you-patent-an-algorithm/)
- [Software Patents After Alice: A Former USPTO Examiner’s Advice on Securing Patent Protection](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/softwaremobile-apps/software-patents-after-alice/)
- [5 Examples of Trade Secrets and How They Fit into Your Intellectual Property Strategy](https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property/examples-of-trade-secrets/)
- [What is Provisional Patent Application: The Inventor’s Fast-Track Guide](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/what-is-provisional-patent-application/)
- [Design Patent vs Utility Patent: Shield Your Product Design with the Right Legal Protection](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patent-vs-utility-patent/)

[All patent articles](https://arapackelaw.com/category/patents/)

## Other industries

- [3D printing](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing.md). Printers, processes, materials and the products they make.
- [Aerospace](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace.md). Aircraft, drones and spacecraft, protected before the first public flight.
- [AI and machine learning](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning.md). Models, training methods and the AI features inside your product.
- [Blockchain](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain.md). Protocols, wallets and the technical methods behind decentralized products.
- [Computer hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware.md). Components, peripherals and the systems that tie them together.
- [Consumer electronics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics.md). Devices people carry and use every day, from how they work to how they look.
- [Consumer products](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products.md). Everyday products and the brands on them, protected before launch.
- [Cybersecurity](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity.md). Security software and hardware, and what to patent or keep secret.
- [Defense](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense.md). Defense technology, planned around contracts and export rules.
- [Digital health](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health.md). Telehealth, remote monitoring and health apps, built around patient data.
- [E-commerce](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce.md). Online brands and Amazon sellers, from the trademark to the product itself.
- [Electrical hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical.md). Power electronics, controls, sensors, batteries and motors, from circuit to system.
- [Energy and clean tech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy.md). Batteries, solar, storage, charging and the grid, from the cell to the system.
- [Fintech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech.md). Payments, lending and trading technology, claimed as technical improvements.
- [Gaming](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming.md). Game engines, mechanics, controllers and titles, protected before the reveal.
- [Medical devices](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices.md). Devices, diagnostics and software as a medical device, timed with the FDA.
- [Robotics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics.md). Robots, grippers and the software that moves them, protected before the pilot.
- [Semiconductors](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors.md). Chip design, fabrication processes and packaging.
- [Software and SaaS](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas.md). The methods your platform performs, protected however the code is written.
- [Sporting goods](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods.md). Equipment and gear, from how it performs to the design customers recognize.

## Next steps

- [Book a free strategy call](https://arapackelaw.com/contact-us/) with a registered patent attorney, or call (954) 951-0154
- [Take the Intelligent IP Quiz](https://arapackelaw.com/intelligent-ip-quiz/) to see what to protect first
- [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/), the refund promise on four services

General information, not legal advice.