Uber accused of 'calculated theft' of Google's self-driving car technology

Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google's parent Alphabet, filed suit against Uber on Thursday alleging that the ride-share company engaged in the "calculated theft" of its self-driving technology. The suit is the latest setback for Uber, still reeling from the viral #DeleteUber campaign and which this week launched an "urgent investigation" into claims of sexual harassment. The lawsuit, filed in US district court in San Francisco, contains explosive allegations that a former Waymo employee, Anthony Levandowski, plotted to steal Waymo's technology and trade secrets before leaving to start his own self-driving truck company, Otto. Uber acquired Otto in August 2016, reportedly for $680m. At the center of the suit is Waymo's proprietary LiDAR system – the "eyes" that self-driving cars use to see other vehicles, the road and pedestrians.