DETROIT : A U.S. regulator ruled that India's Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd infringed upon the intellectual property rights of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's (FCA) Jeep brand, barring the sale of the vehicles in question.The International Trade Commission, in a decision released late Thursday, said Mahindra's Roxor off-road utility vehicle violated the "trade dress" of FCA's Jeep Wrangler SUV.
The ITC issued a limited exclusion order prohibiting sale or import of the infringing vehicles and parts, as well as a cease and desist order to Mahindra and its North American unit.Trade dress consists of the unique characteristics that make a product stand apart and is generally accepted as identified with that product by the public.