The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Innovation in decentralized impulse steering system is driven by increased demand for safety and reliability, growing interest in autonomous driving, need to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, advancements in sensor technology, and government regulations. Additionally, advancements in materials science, electronics, and software are driving the development of more compact and efficient actuators, sophisticated microprocessors, and complex algorithms for controlling steering systems. Overall, the decentralized impulse steering system has the potential to significantly enhance the safety, efficiency, performance, and cost-effectiveness of automotive vehicles. In the last three years alone, there have been over 720,000 patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in automotive: decentralized impulse steering. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
300+ innovations will shape the automotive industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the automotive industry using innovation intensity models built on over one million patents, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, multi-spark ignition, integrated multi-motor drivetrains and vehicle auxiliary drives are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Solar range extenders, turbocharger shaft bearings, and multi-lamellar clutches are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among the maturing innovation areas are auto-transmission lubrication circuits and electroluminscent vehicle displays, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the automotive industry
Decentralized impulse steering is a key innovation area in automotive
Decentralized impulse steering is a type of steering system for motor vehicles that uses small, rapid bursts of torque to adjust the steering angle, rather than turning the steering wheel continuously. This technology is designed to improve the precision and responsiveness of vehicle steering, particularly in high-speed, high-agility driving situations.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of decentralized impulse steering.
Key players in decentralized impulse steering – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to decentralized impulse steering
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Hyundai Mobis | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HL Mando | 79 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Showa Sangyo | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CIE Automotive | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schaeffler | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NSK | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Aero Auto Electromechanical | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ThyssenKrupp | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nexteer Automotive Group | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Daido Metal | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie de Saint-Gobain | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Motors | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| JTEKT | 169 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BorgWarner | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Oiles | 66 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Motor | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Subaru | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ThyssenKrupp Presta SteerTec | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Erae Ams | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Stella Vermogensverwaltungs | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zeppelin-Stiftung | 88 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
JTEKT is one of the leading patent filers in decentralized impulse steering for the automotive industry. The system involves a rack shaft with parallel flat surfaces and a back surface, which do not interact with the rack teeth. A rotation-stopping member, consisting of a case and a low-friction component, is mounted around the rack shaft. Inside this case, there are two sets of parallel flat surfaces: one set extends in the Y direction and the other set in the Z direction, orthogonally to the first. There is a slight clearance between the rack shaft and the rotation-stopping member. The rotation-stopping member is fixed to the inner periphery of the rack housing. Zeppelin-Stiftung, HL Mandco, and Oiles are some other key patent filers in this space.
In terms of application diversity, JTEKT leads the pack, while Zeppelin-Stiftung and HL Mandco stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Compagnie de Saint-Gobain held the top position, followed by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics and Oiles.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Automotive.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
