Brunswick files suit against Volvo
U.S. yachting heavyweight Brunswick Group, owner of the Mercury Marine marine engine brand and various equipment brands within the Brunswick Advanced Systems Group, has confirmed that it has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. against rival Volvo AB and its U.S. subsidiary, inboard engine manufacturer Volvo Penta of the Americas. The lawsuit relates to port and docking assistance technologies. Brunswick accuses the Swedish manufacturer of infringing 5 of its patents, related to dynamic positioning and joystick control, for its Volvo Assisted Docking solution. The case was brought before a U.S. court in Virginia, with a claim for damages for lost profits, as well as royalty payments.
A rivalry already brought to court
The case is not the first to divide the two parties. In December 2020, it was Volvo that sued the Brunswick group for intellectual property infringement for the development of Mercury's Bravo Four S Drive bases. The proceedings are still under investigation.
More broadly, this case raises the question of the protection of intellectual property in a context of increasing complexity of the technologies embarked on pleasure boats. Assistance in maneuvering, digitalization, and even the development of autonomous boats, plunge the sector into a new dimension where the protection of innovations could prove to be crucial and give rise to regular recourse.
