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comment by Existentialist
Existentialist  ·  2831 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Waymo/Alphabet/Google sues Uber for "trade secret misappropriation"

The timeline according to the article:

• May 2016: Anthony Levandowski founded the self-driving truck company "Otto" (although other sources report it was January)

• August 2016: Uber purchased Otto

• December 2016: Levandowski allegedly stole 14,000 files containing plans and technical specifications from Google's self-driving car company "Waymo"

• December 2016: A supplier that specializes in the components for LiDAR accidentally sent an attachment containing schematics of an Uber LiDAR circuit board to Waymo

• January 2017: Allegedly, Levandowski attended meetings with high-level executives at Uber

• January 2017: Levandowski left Waymo

• February 2017: Levandowski founded "Otto Trucking"





kleinbl00  ·  2831 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Which is kind of confusing. Waymo's version:

    Recently, we received an unexpected email. One of our suppliers specializing in LiDAR components sent us an attachment (apparently inadvertently) of machine drawings of what was purported to be Uber’s LiDAR circuit board — except its design bore a striking resemblance to Waymo’s unique LiDAR design.

    We found that six weeks before his resignation this former employee, Anthony Levandowski, downloaded over 14,000 highly confidential and proprietary design files for Waymo’s various hardware systems, including designs of Waymo’s LiDAR and circuit board. To gain access to Waymo’s design server, Mr. Levandowski searched for and installed specialized software onto his company-issued laptop. Once inside, he downloaded 9.7 GB of Waymo’s highly confidential files and trade secrets, including blueprints, design files and testing documentation. Then he connected an external drive to the laptop. Mr. Levandowski then wiped and reformatted the laptop in an attempt to erase forensic fingerprints.

    Beyond Mr. Levandowki’s actions, we discovered that other former Waymo employees, now at Otto and Uber, downloaded additional highly confidential information pertaining to our custom-built LiDAR including supplier lists, manufacturing details and statements of work with highly technical information.

From the complaint:

    In December 2015, Mr. Levandowski specifically searched for and then

    installed specialized software onto his company-issued laptop in order to access the server that

    stores these particular files. Once Mr. Levandowski accessed this server, he downloaded the

    14,000 files, representing approximately 9.7 GB of highly confidential data. Then he attached an

    external drive to the laptop for a period of eight hours. He installed a new operating system that

    would have the effect of reformatting his laptop, attempting to erase any forensic fingerprints that

    would show what he did with Waymo’s valuable LiDAR designs once they had been downloaded

    to his computer. After Mr. Levandowski wiped this laptop, he only used it for a few minutes, and

    then inexplicably never used it again.

They found out in December 2016 but the theft was December 2015.