Uber fires back at Google spinoff in self-driving car case

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Uber is scoffing at claims that its expansion into self-driving cars hinges on trade secrets stolen from a Google spinoff, arguing that its ride-hailing service has been working on potentially superior technology.

The legal defense, presented in documents filed Friday in San Francisco federal court, marks Uber's first detailed response to explosive allegations that its self-driving cars rely on crucial technology designed by Waymo.

The case's outcome could alter the race to build self-driving cars that may transform transportation, reduce traffic deaths and launch a huge new industry.

The dispute centers on a pivotal part of self-driving cars called LiDAR, an array of laser-based sensors that enable self-driving cars to see what's around them so they can safely navigate roads.

Among other things, Uber says its LiDAR uses four lenses for transmitting and receiving laser lights as opposed to the single lens in Waymo's version.