The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by durability, robustness, innovative braking technologies and the need to reduce CO2 and particulate matter emissions, and growing importance of technologies such as hydraulic drum brakes, pneumatic-assisted brakes and mechanical drum brakes. 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: drum brake actuators. 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
Drum brake actuators is a key innovation area in automotive
The purpose of the drum brake actuator is to restrict the flow of brake fluid from going back and forth to the drum brakes as they can chatter if the brake fluid moves rapidly back and forth from the master cylinder and brake. The drum brake actuator also has a check valve, which retains pressure in the brake lines and wheel cylinders to ensure that there is little or no delay in braking action.
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 20+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of drum brake actuators.
Key players in drum brake actuators – 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 drum brake actuators
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Continental is the leading patent filer in the drum brake actuators innovation area. The company’s latest innovation EPB-Si is a patented drum brake solution that is particularly suitable for more sustainable braking. The patented design features an integrated electric parking brake function that prevents corrosion and minimizes particulate emissions. Hitachi, Aisin, Hyundai, and Stella Vermogensverwaltungs are among the other key players innovating in drum brake actuators.
In terms of application diversity, Sugiyasu held the top position, while Nissin Kogyo and Honda Motor stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, SAF-HOLLAND leads the pack, followed by Stella Vermogensverwaltungs and Nuova Four.
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.
