Autonomous Vehicle Patents: What Founders and Engineers Need to Know
Who owns autonomous vehicle patents, what protects your AV stack, and how to file before competitors do. Book a free IP strategy call with a patent attorney.
[INDUSTRY]Autonomous vehicles and ADAS
Autonomous vehicle patent attorneys for self-driving teams
We protect the sensors, the driving software and the product name, filed before road testing makes them public. One flat fee for each step.
Your attorneys
Andrew RapackeManaging Partner · Registered Patent AttorneyFormer Naval Engineering Officer. M.S. in electrical and electronics engineering.
Chris WattRegistered Patent Attorney · Former USPTO ExaminerSoftware, AI and machine learning, and MedTech. A full-stack software engineer.
[01]Who it's for
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.
[02]What's protectable
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.
01Utility patent
Sensors and vehicle hardware
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
Flat fee, quoted before work begins02Utility patent
The driving software
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
Flat fee, quoted before work begins03Design patent
The look of the vehicle
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
USPTO denies it, full refund*04Trademark
The product and company name
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
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.
[03]The flat-fee path
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.
01Start here
Patentability search
$999
Patentable or your money back. Credited toward a design or non-provisional application
- 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
Report in about 5 days
Not patentable, full refund*02Then
Provisional patent
$2.5k–3.5k
- A strategy call to capture how the system works
- Flowcharts and system diagrams included
- You review and approve it before filing
Patent pending the day it is filed
Patentability issues, full refund*03Within 12 months
Non-provisional patent
$7k–12k
Drawings and USPTO filing fees included
- System and method claims written for examination
- Formal drawings and USPTO filing fees
- Complex systems quoted flat on your call
Filed before your 12-month deadline
Flat fee, not covered by the guarantee
Alongside the patent
- Design patentFor the vehicle, robot or sensor housing, office actions included$3,200USPTO denies it, full refund*
- TrademarkFor the product name, USPTO fee for one class included$2,000Approved, or your money back*
*Refunds subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter. Utility (non-provisional) patents are quoted flat and are not covered by the guarantee. How The RLG Guarantee works
[04]Safety rules and launch
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.
PatentWho can make and sell it
- $99901$999SearchPatentable, or your money back
- File first02File firstProvisionalPatent pending, before road testing
- Month 1203Month 12Full applicationWithin 12 months
- USPTO04USPTOExaminationThe USPTO reviews the claims
- 05GrantedRights you can enforce
RoadWhen the public sees it
- Use an NDA01Use an NDASimulationSoftware tested in virtual miles
- Use an NDA02Use an NDAClosed courseTrack testing with partners
- Disclosure risk03Disclosure riskPublic road testingUnder a state permit where required
- Records go public04Records go publicCollision reportsFiled with regulators, often published
- 05DeploymentRiders, 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 algorithmCompliance 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 patentsCheck 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
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.
[05]Related services
Services for autonomous vehicle companies.
One firm for the patent, the brand and the agreements around them.
- Utility patentsProtect how the system works
- Software patentsProtect the driving software and its methods
- Provisional patents, covered by The RLG GuaranteePatent pending before road testing
- Design patents, covered by The RLG GuaranteeProtect how the vehicle looks
- Trademarks, covered by The RLG GuaranteeRegister the product and company name
- IP licensing agreementsLicense technology to OEMs and partners
- Contracts and agreementsSupplier, customer and development contracts
- Privacy and data protectionPolicies for the data your vehicles collect
[06]Questions
Before you file.
Still deciding? Your first call is free and comes with a straight answer on whether to file.
Book A Free Strategy CallCan 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.
[07]Learning Center
Go deeper on autonomous vehicle patents.
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[08]Client reviews
Founders who filed with us.
4.7 across 614 public reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo.
#1Top reviewed IP law firm*
Read client reviews“A detailed analysis and report was provided once the search was completed. They answered all of my questions in a timely manner and advised me on the best strategies moving forward.”
Brittany LongPrior art search · Client review “They traversed the legal maze and minefield.”
Peter C.Patent · Trustpilot “Completed the patent search and utility patent within weeks.”
Michael F.Utility patent · Google
Reviews reflect individual client experiences. Quotes are excerpts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. *#1 top reviewed means the most public client reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo of any US patent or trademark firm.
Protect the technology before it hits the road.
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