Tesla has won its bid to revive a lawsuit in London against US technology company InterDigital and patent licensing platform Avanci, as the electric vehicle maker seeks a patent licence ahead of launching 5G-enabled vehicles in the United Kingdom.
The automaker filed the case in the High Court in 2023, asking the court to determine the fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms of a licence covering patents held by companies including InterDigital and licensed through Avanci.
Tesla argued that it needed the licence to use the patented technology in its planned 5G-connected vehicles.
In 2024, the High Court dismissed Tesla’s claim after InterDigital and Avanci challenged the lawsuit. However, the court allowed a separate claim by Tesla seeking to revoke three InterDigital patents to proceed.
A higher court has now overturned the dismissal, allowing Tesla to pursue its claim over the licensing terms.
The case is part of a broader global dispute over the licensing of standard-essential patents used in connected vehicle technologies.