Google's epic legal battle with Uber over self-driving technology, explained

Uber and Google are locked in a legal battle that could have huge implications for the future of the self-driving car industry. If Uber loses its lawsuit, it could cost the company millions and set back Uber's self-driving car effort by months -- months Uber probably can't afford to lose. The lawsuit started when Waymo, Google's self-driving car unit, alleged that Uber is using sensors based on stolen Waymo designs and asked the courts to block Uber from using the designs. Uber fired back in a legal brief on Friday, denying that its sensors were based on Waymo's technology and accusing Waymo of trying to tie up a legitimate competitor with frivolous litigation. It's not uncommon for the invention of an important new technology to be followed by legal battles over rights to that technology. Apple, for example, fought a years-long legal battle with Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and other makers of Android-based phones in the early years of the smartphone industry.