In January 2025, certain automotive LEDs manufactured by Malaysia-based LED manufacturer Dominant Opto Technologies Sdn. Bhd. ("Dominant") were recalled from a distributor pursuant to a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Nichia Corporation ("Nichia") at the Düsseldorf Local Division of the Unified Patent Court. The below three Dominant LEDs which had been distributed in the market were subject to the lawsuit and the recall:

The lawsuit related to Nichia's patent EP2323178, which covers epoxy resins for LED packages that exhibit excellent heat and light resistance. This technology is of particular importance in automotive lighting applications, where highly reliable LEDs are required.

The Düsseldorf Local Division of the Unified Patent Court now issued a decision on March 28, 2025 confirming a settlement between Nichia and the defendant, Endrich Bauelemente Vertriebs GmbH, a German electronic components distributor which sold the Dominant LEDs. The settlement fully confirms Nichia's patent infringement claims in relation to the Dominant LEDs, namely to cease the sales in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, to recall and destruct the products, to provide information and rendering account, and to compensate Nichia for damages.

Nichia also holds family patents of EP2323178 in the following countries:
Japan, U.S., Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Netherlands, China, India, Taiwan, and Korea

The recent legal victories in relation to automotive products reinforce Nichia's dedication to defend its intellectual property, particularly in the automotive industry. As an innovation and technology leader, Nichia relies on its robust portfolio of intellectual property as a catalyst for future innovation, and protecting its patents is essential to maintain Nichia's competitive edge.

(Photo credit: Nichia)

TrendForce 2024 Global Automotive LED Market- Lighting and Display Product Trend
Release Date:
1. PDF (180 Pages)- 30 June 2024
2. EXCEL- 30 June 2024 and 31 December 2024
Languages: Traditional Chinese / English