We don’t know — because we are not there — but my guess? It’s a Cal Code Civ Proc Section 988 offer. Waymo makes a settlement offer of $1B. Uber rejects it. Th

We don’t know — because we are not there — but my guess? It’s a Cal Code Civ Proc Section 988 offer. Waymo makes a settlement offer of $1B. Uber rejects it. They go to trial. If Waymo does better than $1B at trial, then Uber pays Waymo’s legal fees. This is a way to increase the risk on your opponent. Uber may or may not care about the additional financial risk, if indeed Waymo pushed the Section 988 button.