Tesla’s ‘Robotaxi’ model may be too generic to trademark

The US Patent and Trademark Workplace has refused one among Tesla’s preliminary makes an attempt to trademark the time period “Robotaxi” as a result of it believes the identify is generic and already in use by different firms, in response to a filing noticed by TechCrunch. Tesla hoped to trademark the time period in connection to its planned self-driving car service, however now it will should reply with extra proof to vary the workplace’s thoughts.

The primary situation outlined within the USPTO determination is that “Robotaxi” is “merely descriptive,” as in its an already generally used time period. A robotaxi usually refers back to the self-driving vehicles utilized in companies like Waymo. So long as Silicon Valley has believed cash may very well be made promoting autonomous automobiles (and the rides you’ll be able to soak up them), the time period has been in use. Which means Tesla cannot trademark “robotaxi” as a result of the “time period is used to explain related items and companies by different firms,” the USPTO writes. Like, Zoox, an Amazon subsidiary talked about within the submitting, which already refers to its product as a “robotaxi.”

The appliance the USPTO refused was for “land automobiles; electrical automobiles, particularly vehicles; vehicles; and structural components therefor.” As TechCrunch notes, Tesla has trademark functions out for different names, like “Robobus,” which may get a distinct response. The corporate can also be apparently dealing with difficulties locking down logos for “Cybercab,” the identify of the self-driving automobile designed for use in Tesla’s robotaxi service.

The corporate formally launched the Cybercab and the unfastened define of its robotaxi service at an occasion in October 2024 known as “We, Robot.” The Cybercab has no steering wheel or pedals, and is meant to depend on inductive charging for energy in between rides. The occasion additionally featured the introduction of the Robobus and one other look from Tesla’s in-development Optimus robotic.

Tesla wants to supply “truth sheets, instruction manuals, brochures, commercials and pertinent screenshots of [its] web site” to assist make the case for the way it’ll use the “robotaxi” trademark, ought to the USPTO change its ruling. Contemplating the issue of pulling off a self-driving automobile service, although, not having the ability to trademark names looks like the least of Tesla’s challenges.