Perrone Robotics, Inc., together with its subsidiary Perrone Robotics Innovations LLC (PRI), has filed separate lawsuits against Hyundai (3:25-cv-00981), Mazda (3:25-cv-00983), Nissan (3:25-cv-00982), Tesla (3:25-cv-00974), and Volkswagen (3:25-cv-00984) in the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as against Kia (2:25-cv-01151) and Toyota (2:25-cv-01150) in the Eastern District of Texas. The plaintiff characterizes the five patents in suit against each defendant as "generally describ[ing] a GPROS [general purpose robotics operating system] to manage an autonomous vehicle service", with infringement allegations targeting the provision of vehicles with certain advanced driver assistance systems (ADASes, e.g., Hyundai SmartSense, Mazda i-ACTIVSENSE, Nissan ProPILOT Assist, Volkswagen IQ.DRIVE, etc.).
The asserted patents (9,195,233; 9,833,901; 11,314,251; 11,782,442; 12,181,877) belong to a six-patent family with issue dates ranging from November 2015 through December 2024. The family has earliest estimated priority in February 2006, with prosecution of at least one related application continuing before the USPTO. Paul J. Perrone, identified in the new complaints as the Perrone Robotics CEO and founder, is the sole named inventor here.
Perrone is characterized as a "computer engineer and pioneer in the automated driving space". Perrone Robotics and PRI were each formed in Delaware, the former on September 27, 2016; PRI, on July 22, 2025. Perrone Robotics is described as "a leading innovator in automated vehicle technology, specializing in advanced automated vehicle systems for transit, commercial, and government applications. With its patented TONY AV & ADAS Kits and MAX software platforms, Perrone Robotics delivers reliable, scalable, and versatile autonomous solutions designed to transform transportation and mobility".
The parties plead that Perrone Robotics "owns 100% of the equity interests of" PRI. In the Eastern District of Texas, which does not impose heightened disclosure on parties, the pair disclose that they (collectively, in odd fashion) "have no parent and no publicly held corporation owns 10% or more of their stock". In the Eastern District of Virginia, which does impose a form of heightened disclosure on parties, they have not issued "shares or debt securities to the public". (Presumably, the statement in the complaint itself satisfies PRI's independent local rule obligation to disclose its "owners or members", i.e., Perrone Robotics.)
On August 29, 2025, Perrone Robotics assigned all of its right, title, and interest in the asserted patent family to PRI. In the subsequent complaints, the parties define "Perrone Robotics" to collectively cover the two legal entities, further pleading that that collective "owns and holds all right, title, and interest" in each of the asserted patents, without specifying what, if any, rights Perrone Robotics (the parent) actually retains. Also on August 29, 2025, PRI granted a security interest in the family to Amoroleck Partners LP (the general partner of which is identified Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding GP LLC).
The document filed with the USPTO in connection with that security interest refers to an underlying "Funding Agreement". (The dates here strongly suggest that the funding mentioned refers to litigation funding as opposed to funding for general business operations.) John Mottola signed for PRI, as "COO of PRI, Manager", and Michael German signed for Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding, as "Chief Investment Officer". On social media, Mottola presents a work history of executive positions with financial institutions before becoming COO of Perrone Robotics in April 2021.
On social media, German indicates that he has held that role (as well as a cofounder role) since May 2020. Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding brands itself as "LF^2" (i.e., as "LF squared" with a "2" as superscript), announcing that it "provides funding to support the just resolution of complex commercial disputes". German (an attorney) cofounded Lex Ferenda with Chris Baildon, a financial executive, now identifying a team of individuals with investment backgrounds as well as one former federal judge (Vanessa Gilmore, from the Southern District of Texas). Lex Ferenda appears to have invested in nonpatent cases; it is unclear whether Perrone's campaign is its first foray in that direction.
The plaintiffs allege that each accused ADAS incorporates a GPROS—e.g., Hyundai's and Kia's, a "proprietary connected car operating system built in conjunction with NVIDIA DRIVE; Blackberry QNX; and an AUTOSAR-based GPROS"; Mazda's, a "GPROS based on Arene and an AUTOSAR-based GPROS" (here, Perrone Robotics pointing to an reported partnership under which Mazda would adopt Toyota's proprietary Arene operating system in Mazda vehicles); Nissan's, a "proprietary GPROS built in conjunction with Red Hat; a Linux-based GPROS; a MICROSAR GPROS; and an AUTOSAR-based GPROS"; Tesla's, an "in-house GPROS, including one called Tesla OS"; Toyota's, "GPROSs that include [Arene]; Blackberry QNX; AUTOSAR[;] and ROS"; and Volkswagen's, a "proprietary GPROS called VW.OS, QNX and an AUTOSAR-based GPROS". (AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) is a series of standards for vehicle electronic control units (ECUs), and MICROSAR refers to a lineup of AUTOSAR-based embedded software products from Vector.)
Bunsow DeMory, LLP represents Perrone Robotics. The Eastern District of Virginia cases have been assigned to District Judge Roderick C. Young; the others, to District Judge Rodney Gilstrap. 11/24, Kia, Toyota, Eastern District of Texas, Tesla, Eastern District of Virginia; 11/25, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen, Eastern District of Virginia.
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