Yes, that's interesting.
He calls the the UK a "highly respectable country"...
It appears it was not patented, and he trusted somebody. If it was patented, there would be a clear legal case here.
This is all about the valve, if you cannot protect that design and enforce non-infringement, you're screwed. The product lines of the two companies are quite different, the only common thing is the valve.
It's a shame that the Australian make of the valve apparently is a lot better; it will probably be unobtainium in EU. The Australian web site does not give any hints where to actually buy their product.
They offer a 2.5cm thick styrofoam "washer" with a slot for a wick, to put in the bottom of the trays if the plant is not supposed to get wet feet -- instead of the clay/perlite layer in the pot that the UK manufacturer suggests.
That means it becomes a pot on a capillary mat.
I have to try just a capillary mat, it might be just as good as the AutoPot, but even simpler.
They also have only a simple marix sheet in the bottom of the pot to stop roots, not the copper coated one in the tray. I'm wondering if that's actually enough to stop roots from growing into the tray.