Toyota has settled a dispute with a U.S. company that had been claiming the Japanese automaker used its technology without permission for use in popular hybrids like the Prius, according to AP. Toyota Motor Corp. and Paice LLC say they settled the patent dispute and agreed to have all lawsuits between them dismissed. Paice and Toyota agree that some Toyota hybrids contain technology equivalent to that made by Paice, but Toyota developed its hybrid technology independently. Paice had been claiming Toyota had violated its patents for technology used to power gas-electric vehicles like the Prius and the Lexus HS250h. The dispute raised the possibility that import of the vehicles to the U.S. could be blocked.
