Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous driving wing, is taking Uber to court over allegations that former employee Anthony Levandowski stole trade secrets when he joined Uber. Aarian Marshall, staff writer for Wired Transportation, is covering the case. Marshall says the case comes down to whether Levandowski stole trade secrets or whether Uber figured it out independently. Marshall explains it won't be good enough for Waymo just to prove that information was stolen. The company will have to be able to prove that what Levandowski took was actually a trade secret, instead of something any reasonable self-driving car engineer might figure out on their own. Marshall says Waymo is currently winning the autonomous car race. If Waymo receives a favorable outcome in the case, it could prove debilitating for Uber.

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Starbucks’ Change Flushes Out a Debate Over Public Restroom Access
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
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