The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification and safety features requirements and growing importance of technologies such as integrated brake controls (IBC) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD). In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.7 million patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in automotive: braking system fluid circuit. 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 Foresight, 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, integrated multi-motor drivetrains, electric power steering (EPS), and post-collision handing are useful technologies that are in the early stages of wider application and should be tracked closely. Variable compression engines, V2V distance monitoring, and turbocharger shaft bearings are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) and plasma-jet ignition, which are now well-established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the automotive industry
Braking system fluid circuit is a key innovation area in automotive
A hydraulic brake circuit is a configuration of braking mechanisms that transfers pressure from the controlling mechanism to the braking mechanism, which utilizes brake fluid that usually comprises glycol ethers or diethylene glycol.
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 braking system fluid circuit.
Key players in braking system fluid circuit – 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 braking system fluid circuit
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Hyundai Mobis | 252 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Huawei Investment & Holding | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Faurecia | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Magna International | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HL Mando | 657 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 924 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schaeffler | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 935 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BYD | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zhejiang Geely | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 121 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Aisin | 621 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nissan Motor | 80 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 398 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nissin Kogyo | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 468 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 96 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Motors | 67 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bayerische Motoren Werke | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Denso | 102 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Continental | 751 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Motor | 58 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tokai | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ipgate | 226 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Autoliv Nissin Brake Systems Japan | 112 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Stella Vermogensverwaltungs | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lsp Innovative Automotive Systems | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nuova FourB | 75 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zeppelin-Stiftung | 332 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Continental is one of the top patent filers in the braking system fluid circuit segment. The company is creating wheel brake solutions for new vehicle architectures and new environmental brake requirements. Other leading patent filers in braking system fluid circuit include Robert Bosch Stiftung, Toyota, Mando, and Aisin.
In terms of application diversity, Zhejiang Geely held the top position, while Denso and Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Stella Vermogensverwaltungs leads the pack, followed by LSP Innovative Automotive Systems and Nissan Motor.
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.
