Cobot IP Fight: What the Universal Robots Ruling Means for U.S. Manufacturers

A German court today has issued a temportary court order against Elite Robots Deutschland GmbH (Elite Robots Germany), barring the China-based cobot maker's German subsidiary from offering or distributing software which is alleged to infringe on Universal Robots' propietary software, and any products containing that software, in Germany. The ruling took effect immediately.

Terdayne Robotics vs. Elite Robots Germany

Teradyne Robotics, the parent company of Universal Robots, filed a lawsuit in February against Elite Robots Germany for copyright infringement following a prior cease-and-desist letter.

Under the court's order, Elite Robots Germany is also required to disclose details about the infringing acts it committed, including the identity of customers it supplied. Teradyne Robotics has stated it intends to pursue legal action against Elite Robots' distributors and partners if they continue offering the infringing software. The ruling is preliminary and does not constitute a final judgment.

When the action was first filed in February, Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group, said: "This decisive step underscores our commitment to protecting intellectual property and ensuring automation customers have access to the safe and high-quality solutions they deserve. Both automation and innovation are critical to Europe's future. We will not allow the products of companies that unlawfully copy protected technologies to compromise customer experience, the intellectual property of our technology sector, or Europe's industrial future."

Today, Hathout said, "At Teradyne Robotics, we have chosen to take a stand against any competitors copying our proprietary hardware or software design and we are of course pleased with this ruling."

The Software in Question

The lawsuit concerns copyright infringement of Universal Robots' PolyScope 5 software, the operating platform that runs UR cobots and supports the company's extensive ecosystem of third-party peripherals, end-of-arm tooling, and integrations. PolyScope 5 is the foundation through which tens of thousands of UR cobots are programmed and operated worldwide.

Who Is Elite Robots?

Elite Robots, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Shanghai, manufactures collaborative robots and has a U.S. office in Knoxville, TN. The company now ranks among the top 3 cobot brands in China. The company ranks among the top three cobot brands in China and has reportedly deployed more than 10,000 cobots across more than 35 countries. Its German subsidiary, based in Bavaria, serves as its European distribution hub—which is why the action was filed in German courts. Elite Robots has not provided a public statement on the lawsuit.

Teradyne attorneys had been asking the company to shut down its exhibit at Hannover Messe, the major industrial trade show currently underway in Germany. With the courts ruling today, Elite Robots has taken its booth down.

"We believe we have irrefutable evidence of copyright infringement and, while this is not a final ruling from the court, it is a clear indication that we have a very strong case. Automation and innovation are critical to our industrial future. We cannot passively allow companies to unlawfully copy protected technologies. This not only hampers research and innovation but also undermines customer experience and confidence," stated Hathout.

Safety Concerns Beyond the Courtroom

This copyright case is not the only issue Teradyne has brought to light. Teradyne has also alerted European safety authorities to concerns it has about Elite Robots' cobot arms, saying that its cobots may not meet the same safety standards needed for human-robot collaboartion on the plant floor. Teradyne argues that these lower-standard products could end up harming operators, which then could erode trust for cobots across the entire industry, creating risk for the entire category—not just for UR customers.

What It Could Mean for U.S. Manufacturers

The injunction only applies to Germany, but the case has implications closer to home. Elite Robots has a U.S. office in Knoxville and sells through North American distributors and system integrators—and Teradyne has made clear it will pursue legal action against any distributors or partners who continue offering the infringing software, regardless of where they operate.

For U.S. manufacturers already using Elite Robots cobots, or considering them, there are practical questions worth watching. If the software at the core of those systems is ultimately found to infringe on UR's IP, it could affect software support, updates, and how well those systems integrate with existing automation infrastructure—particularly anything built around PolyScope-compatible tooling.

The bigger picture is a tension that's been building across the automation market for years. Chinese cobot manufacturers have moved aggressively into Western markets, offering competitive hardware at prices that are hard for established brands to match. Teradyne is treating this case as a line in the sand—the argument being that if companies can copy protected technology to undercut on price, there's little incentive for anyone to invest in original R&D. Which creates a bigger problem.