Some 18 months after BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen rocked the patent boat by forming a ‘strategic alliance’ to negotiate favorable patent rates, the US is moving to declare the group an “illegal buyers cartel under US antitrust law.” Nothing happens quickly in the world of intellectual property, but this position is ratcheting up the tension. The EU has signed off on the Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group (ALNG – to use its government name) approach, but licensors still view the new development with skepticism. There is a very good chance now that the US position will nix any attempt to set up an LNG for any sort of patents in the US. The less clear question is whether the US would…