A series of patent infringement lawsuits filed by General Motors could affect the aftermarket parts supply chain used by collision repair shops, according to federal court dockets and U.S. International Trade Commission records.
Federal court filings show GM brought patent infringement claims against several companies involved in the aftermarket parts ecosystem, including Mitchell International, Quality Collision Parts, and LKQ Corp. on Feb. 3.
GM also filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission on Feb. 5, alleging violations of Section 337 involving certain imported vehicle parts and components, according to a commission notice.
If the U.S. International Trade Commission finds a violation, it has the authority to issue exclusion orders that block the importation of infringing products into the United States, as well as cease-and-desist orders that restrict the sale of products already in the country, according to the agency’s published guidance on Section 337 remedies.
ITC launches investigation into aftermarket parts imports
The commission voted March 10 to institute an investigation under Section 337, formally launching a probe into whether certain imported vehicle parts violate GM’s patents, as detailed in the Federal Register notice and a corresponding USITC announcement.
Among the respondents named in the ITC case are CCC Intelligent Solutions and Mitchell International, whose estimating platforms are widely used by collision repair shops and insurers to identify and price replacement parts.
According to the ITC’s institution notice, the investigation also names other respondents across the aftermarket supply chain, including:
- Overseas manufacturers such as DEPO Auto Parts Industrial Co. Ltd., Tong Yang Industry Co. Ltd. and AP Auto Parts Industrial Co. Ltd.
- U.S.-based distributors including LKQ Corp., Keystone Automotive Industries Inc., Quality Collision Parts Inc. and Best Value Auto Body Supply LLC
What happens next
The section 337 investigation will proceed at the U.S. International Trade Commission, as outlined in the Federal Register notice, while the federal patent infringement lawsuits filed Feb. 3 continue through the court system.
For collision repair shops, these actions involve aftermarket parts and the companies that supply and identify them during the repair process. As the section 337 investigation and the federal patent infringement lawsuits move forward, shops may want to monitor developments affecting the availability of aftermarket parts and how those parts are included or identified in estimation systems.
