The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity in electric vehicle (EV) hill descent control is driven by safety concerns, advanced driver assistance systems, regenerative braking integration, and growing importance of technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced sensors. 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 Electric vehicles in automotive: EV hill descent control. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
EV hill descent control is a key innovation area in electric vehicles
EV hill descent control is a braking system used in EVs to provide better control and stability on downhill roads. The system can vary and control the amount of regenerative braking torque generated by the motor when coasting in order to ensure safe, stable, and controlled driving.
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 EV hill descent control.
Key players in EV hill descent control – 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 EV hill descent control
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Huawei Investment & Holding | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tata Motors | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Subaru | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HL Mando | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Motors | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BYD | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 62 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Aisin | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Electric | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Electric | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Motors | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 57 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Motor | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| FAW Group | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CRRC Group | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Group | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Premergy | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Automotive Group | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Societe De Technologie Michelin | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Rivian | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Elektronische Fahrwerksysteme | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Uni-President China | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Hyundai Motor is one of the leading patent filers in EV hill descent control. The company provides regenerative braking system to capture and convert the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle into electrical energy. When driving downhill, the system can use this energy to recharge the EV’s battery, providing an additional source of power. Some other key patent filers in this space include Kia Motors and Toyota Motor.
In terms of application diversity, Premergy leads the pack, while Samsung and Mitsubishi Motors stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Premergy held the top position, followed by CRRC and Tata Motors.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Electric Vehicles (EV).
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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.
