The temperature is going up, and so are the noise levels, as two motorcycle manufacturers get ready to duke it out. And the funny thing is, the tussle is over a patent that doesn’t belong to either party. The row between Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors is over the ownership of a digital twin spark ignition (DTSi) technology, and is a reflection of how seriously these companies take the differentiation of their products. Both companies accuse each other of copying patented technology.

S. Sridhar, CEO of Bajaj Auto, expresses disappointment over TVS Motors’ behaviour. “We will take them to court if they launch their vehicle, and are waiting for an appropriate time to take them to court,” he says. TVS Motors denies that they have done anything wrong. “We do not copy things and this accusation tarnishes our image,” says H.S. Goindi, senior vice-president of TVS Motors. TVS also applied for the revocation of Bajaj Auto’s patent on 3 September.