The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Increasing development in the vehicle autonomy levels and rising adoption of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are the leading factors creating a demand for anti-collision radars. Activity is driven by growing importance of technologies such as ADAS, collision avoidance systems, adaptive cruise control, adaptive driver alerting systems, and autonomous driving. 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 Internet of Things in automotive: vehicle anti-collision radars. 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, autonomous steering, LiDAR scanners and intelligent predictive maintenance are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Sensor-integrated mirrors, smart street lighting and automatic parking assist are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are remote trip monitoring and smart speed governors, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for Internet of Things in the automotive industry
Vehicle anti-collision radars is a key innovation area in Internet of Things
Vehicle anti-collision radars refer to a set of technologies and systems that utilize sensors and data processing algorithms to detect and avoid potential collisions with obstacles or other vehicles on the road. These radars work by emitting electromagnetic waves or ultrasound signals and then analyzing the reflected signals to determine the presence and proximity of objects in the vehicle's vicinity. Anti-collision radars continuously monitor the surrounding environment and enable vehicles to automatically apply brakes or provide warnings to the driver to prevent accidents.
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 480 companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of vehicle anti-collision radars.
Key players in vehicle anti-collision radars – 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 vehicle anti-collision radars
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Robert Bosch Stiftung is one of the leading patent filers in vehicle anti-collision radars. The recent innovation of the company has helped to integrate collision warning systems into motorcycles for improving the rider's safety. The company has also recently developed automated vehicle maneuvering solutions. Driverless maneuvering technology of the vehicles mitigates the risk of accidents or damage caused by collisions. Some other key patent filers in the space include General Motors, Toyota Motor, and Alphabet.
In terms of application diversity, Uhnder leads the pack, while Nidec and MaxLinear stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, TomTom held the top position, followed by Nissan Motor and Komatsu.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Internet of Things (IoT) in 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.
