---
title: "Baidu Sues Chinese Self-Driving Car Startup, Alleging Trade-Secret Theft"
description: "Will this be China's version of the Uber vs. Waymo legal battle?"
date: "2017-12-22"
modified: "2017-12-22"
authors:
  - name: "Stephen Edelstein"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/17164/baidu-sues-chinese-self-driving-car-startup-alleging-trade-secret-theft"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
  - "Self-Driving Tech"
tags:
  - "Autonomous Cars"
  - "Baidu"
  - "China"
  - "lawsuits"
  - "self-driving cars"
  - "Tech"
  - "trade secret"
---

# Baidu Sues Chinese Self-Driving Car Startup, Alleging Trade-Secret Theft

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/04/79192_carfleet2.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

In a case that's remarkably similar to the [ongoing legal dispute](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/16505/judge-postpones-uber-waymo-trial-after-new-allegations-of-spying-by-uber>) between Waymo and Uber, Chinese tech giant Baidu is suing an autonomous-driving startup created by a former employee. Baidu accuses the startup, JingChi, of stealing its technology.

Baidu believes its former self-driving car boss Wang Jing stole proprietary technology and poached staff when he left the company to found JingChi. Wang told [Chinese media](<https://www.sohu.com/a/212022943_115565>) that the allegations are baseless. Baidu is reportedly seeking 50 million yuan ($7.6 million) plus legal costs, and an injunction that would prevent JingChi from using the allegedly-stolen technology.

The case should seem familiar to anyone following [Waymo's lawsuit against Uber](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/7867/waymo-suing-uber-over-claims-of-stolen-self-driving-car-documents-and-trade-secrets>). That dispute centers on [Anthony Levandowski](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/14700/turns-out-former-uberwaymo-engineer-anthony-levandowski-founded-his-own-church>), a former Waymo engineer who left the company to found autonomous-driving startup Otto. The startup was bought by Uber in 2016, and Waymo alleges that Levandowski brought stolen trade secrets to his new employer. Levandowski [was later fired](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/10807/uber-fires-anthony-levandowski-for-not-cooperating-in-waymo-lawsuit>) by Uber for not cooperating with efforts to fight the lawsuit.

Baidu is one of the biggest Chinese players in self-driving cars. It's currently developing an open software platform called "[Apollo](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/9459/baidu-to-open-its-self-driving-car-platform-to-outside-developers>)" that will be made available for different companies to use. Companies like [Ford, Daimler, Intel, and Microsoft](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/12182/chinas-baidu-has-assembled-a-super-group-of-partners-for-its-self-driving-car-project>) have all expressed interest, according to Baidu. The company is also partnering with fellow Chinese firm Shouqi to launch an [autonomous ride-sharing service](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/15589/baidu-teams-with-chinese-state-backed-ride-sharing-service-on-self-driving-cars>).

JingChi was founded in April 2017 but has already raised $52 million. The company has a U.S. base in Sunnyvale, California, and a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test self-driving cars on public roads. JingChi has said it will deploy "hundreds" of self-driving cars in Anqing City, China, beginning next year.

## Author
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/SAEdelstein>)