According to several confirmed reports, Tesla is suing an ex-employee, along with his business mate, for breaching of contract. According to the said suit, Ex Autopilot program manager Sterling Anderson has violated contractual and other obligations on his quest to launch a competing venture of his own.
Ex Tesla Employee And Partner Sued
According to Entrepreneur, Anderson has allegedly tried to recruit at least a dozen Tesla engineers, took and used confidential and proprietary information, and falsified and destroyed evidence in an effort to cover his wrong doings on the way to founding the self-driving car start-up, Aurora.
In collaboration with ex-Google self-driving car initiative department head Christopher Urmson, Anderson used his Tesla laptop to download "hundreds of gigabytes" on proprietary and confidential information to his personal hard drive.
Tesla Exercises Its Rights
However, Tesla found out about his scheme and later on terminated Anderson on January 4, which was also the same day that he reportedly altered and wiped evidence from his company-issued laptop and smartphone, all in an effort to cover up his crimes.
Requesting a jury trial, the car manufacturer is seeking damages for losses as a result of Anderson's infiltrations, as well as punitive damages for what they call as "malicious" acts. Along with that, Tesla also wants an authoritative warning against Aurora's technologies.
Anderson Makes His Statement
"Tesla's meritless lawsuit reveals both a startling paranoia and an unhealthy fear of competition," Anderson said, on behalf of Aurora Innovation, in a statement published by TheWallStreetJournal. "This abuse of the legal system is a malicious attempt to stifle a competitor and destroy personal reputations. Aurora looks forward to disproving these false allegations in court and to building a successful self-driving business."
Tesla has recently declined to make comments on the lawsuit; Aurora, on the other hand, could not be reached for comment.
