US patents firm sues Toyota, Honda, GM for infringing connected car technology

American patent holding company Intellectual Ventures Management LLC has sued Toyota Motor Corp, Honda Motor Co, and General Motors Co for about a dozen patent infringements over communication technologies for connected cars.

The lawsuits filed with the federal district courts in Texas allege infringements over the use of in-vehicle Wi-Fi networks, among other claims.

The lawsuits only relate to patents used in Toyota's Prius hybrid and Honda's Accord sedan in the US market and are not expected to directly affect sales in Japan even if the courts rule favorably for the patent management firm.

The utilization of 5G networks in vehicles is expected to boost the market for connected cars.

However, the patent infringement lawsuits indicate the challenge that auto and auto parts makers face in protecting intellectual property amid rapid technological advances.

Intellectual Ventures is said to possess over 70,000 patents, with patent fees as its main source of income.