As car automation technologies like navigation and infotainment systems emerge as the next big opportunity for the automotive industry, patent disputes similar to those seen in the smartphone business have not unexpectedly surfaced.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is expected to announce Wednesday an investigation into charges by Advanced Silicon Technologies in Portsmouth, N.H. that a number of car makers — including Honda, Toyota, BMW and Volkswagen — and component makers like Harman, Texas Instruments and Renesas Electronics infringe on certain claims of four of its patents. The disputed patents relate, among other things, to car infotainment systems, according to a notice by the ITC on the U.S. Federal Register.

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