34 n COPYRIGHT July/August 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com Recent court developments in Germany (see box, right) have shone a light on an important issue in robotics. A German court in Hamburg issued a preliminary injunction against Elite Robots Germany in a copyright infringement case involving copying of Universal Robots’ software. As a result, the company is not allowed to offer or distribute the products covered by the decision in Germany while the case continues. At first, this may sound like technical legal news only relevant for the German market. But it highlights broader questions that matter to every company investing in automation – especially when choosing a collaborative robot that will operate close to people and become part of daily production. Here are five reasons why. 1.Copying creates risk for customers When protected robot software or designs are copied without permission, the impact extends well beyond the supplier and exposes all parties to significant legal risk. It can affect end-users directly because using an infringing product for commercial purposes – such as a robot with infringing software in a production line – can itself constitute a legal violation. This not only creates a risk of court-ordered remedies, including preliminary or permanent injunctions requiring the immediate shutdown and removal of the affected robots, but also exposes users to costly and disruptive litigation and potential business interruption. Automation systems are long-term investments meant to run for years. Legal uncertainty at supplier level can turn into a real business risk on the factory floor. 2. ‘Similar’ does not mean safe Collaborative industrial robots are often described as safe, but safety is not automatic. It depends on how a robot is designed, tested, and used in real applications. A robotic system that looks or behaves like another one does not share its safety profile. Safety comes from reliable hardware, validated software, certified functions, clear limits, and proper documentation. These cannot be copied by appearance alone. Superficial similarity creates a dangerous false sense of security, which may result in serious physical injury to operators and bystanders. 3. A lower price can mean higher costs later The purchase price of a robot is easy to compare. The long-term cost is not. If your robot vendor ends up in a legal battle, besides the question of even being able to use it legally, you also face uncertainty about product availability, software updates and service support. Unexpected downtime, lack of updates or compliance challenges can quickly outweigh any initial savings. This has never been more relevant as modern robots are software-driven machines. Motion control, force limits, diagnostics, and safety logic all depend on software. If users do not know where the software comes from, who owns it, or how it is maintained, they introduce uncertainty into production. Original, well-understood software is essential for reliable and predictable operation. In automation, shortcuts often appear affordable at first, but expensive later. And as with all things in life: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. 4. Buying copycat tech shapes the future of automation Every automation investment sends a signal about what the market rewards. Choosing original, lawfully-developed technology encourages long-term engineering, robust A recent German court ruling could have implications for robot users everywhere. David Brandt, vice-president of R&D and CTO at Universal Robots, gives five reasons why you should care about the German injunction. A robotic system that looks or behaves like another one does not necessarily share its safety characteristics Why you should care if your robot is a copy
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