BAJAJ vs TVS : Fight for DTS-i goes on

The Bajaj DTS-i engine is at the heart of the patent dispute that�s broken out between two of the top two-wheeler makers.

Now after a lot of fireworks, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors are trying to douse the fire and S Gurumurthy of Swadeshi Jagran Manch will play peacemaker between the two desi rivals.

S Gurumurthy is heading off to Pune on October 16 to kick off the arbitration process. Gurumurthy will meet the top brass of Bajaj Auto including Chairman Rahul Bajaj and Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj, which will be followed up with meetings with TVS Chief Venu Srinivasan to sort out differences between the two sides and submit his award to ensure that the patent dispute does not break out into a patent war.

Sources say that the arbitrator's role will essentially be to contain the differences between the two wheeler makers rather than go into the commercial aspects of the patent dispute.

With TVS' new bike Flame to hit the streets next month, both Bajaj and TVS just want to make sure that they don�t get into a court battle during the peak festive season.

Last month Bajaj Auto charged TVS Motors of using its patented digital twin spark technology, to which TVS threatened to file suit against Bajaj Auto for damages worth Rs 250 crore.

Bajaj and TVS may be on a reconciliatory mode but many feel that the patent war proves that the domestic two-wheeler is coming of age.

Gurumurthy has played the role of a peacemaker in many high profile corporate tussles including the Bajaj family dispute. Both Bajaj Auto and TVS are hoping that his involvement will make sure that the patent dispute does not blow out of proportion.

Source:- Ndtvprofit