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21 August 2017Patents

BMW leads the way as automotive patents jump 20%

Applications for patents in the automotive industry have jumped by more than 20% in four years with big names including BMW and Peugeot Citroen leading the way, research has shown.

According to figures obtained by UK law firm EMW, there were 5,701 patent applications last year—up from 4,727 in 2012, an increase of 21%.

However, there was a drop from 5,816 in 2015 to 5,701 last year, following year-on-year growth since 2012.

BMW led the way with 113 patents filed in 2016, with Peugeot Citroen filing 98 and Honda 78.

The increase, according to EMW, may be down to competition from technology firms that are trying to challenge the business models of traditional car manufacturers through new technologies like driverless cars and electric engines.

A trade secrets case due to go trial in October in the US will pit Google-owned subsidiary Waymo against taxi company Uber. Waymo is alleging that a former employee stole confidential data regarding self-driving cars and used it to help with Uber’s engineering efforts.

Mark Finn, principal at EMW, said: “Technology companies have set themselves up in competition with traditional manufacturers, as research into newer technology, such as driverless cars, continues to push innovation.”

He added: “Development in the automotive industry is growing ever more fast-paced in what was already a competitive field, as technology giants such as Uber and Google pioneer revolutionary technology in the sector.”

The figures are for patents relating to vehicles and vehicle components that were filed at the World Intellectual Property Organization up to and including December 31 last year.

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