The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by enhanced driving experience, range efficiency, and braking performance, and growing importance of technologies such as sensors, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. 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: brake pedal sensorsBuy 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, multi-spark ignition, integrated multi-motor drivetrains and vehicle auxiliary drives are useful technologies that are in the early stages of wider 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 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

Brake pedal sensors is a key innovation area in automotive

For HEV, PHEV, and EV passenger cars, the brake pedal sensor is a significant factor in regenerative braking optimisation. The brake pedal stroke range, where the regeneration can be maximised, is precisely provided to the inverter.

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 115+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of brake pedal sensors.

Key players in brake pedal sensors – 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 brake pedal sensors

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Hyundai Mobis 204 Unlock Company Profile
COSCO Shipping 23 Unlock Company Profile
Faurecia 21 Unlock Company Profile
NTT 17 Unlock Company Profile
HL Mando 275 Unlock Company Profile
Toyota Motor 148 Unlock Company Profile
Robert Bosch Stiftung 252 Unlock Company Profile
Kyung Chang Industrial 21 Unlock Company Profile
Hyundai Motor 239 Unlock Company Profile
Aisin 109 Unlock Company Profile
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies 14 Unlock Company Profile
Nissan Motor 64 Unlock Company Profile
CTS 19 Unlock Company Profile
Hitachi 130 Unlock Company Profile
Caterpillar 16 Unlock Company Profile
TDK 12 Unlock Company Profile
Honda Motor 63 Unlock Company Profile
Mazda Motor 15 Unlock Company Profile
Panasonic 16 Unlock Company Profile
Doosan Infracore 12 Unlock Company Profile
Porsche Automobil 80 Unlock Company Profile
General Motors 31 Unlock Company Profile
Bayerische Motoren Werke 15 Unlock Company Profile
Boeing 25 Unlock Company Profile
Denso 17 Unlock Company Profile
Continental 142 Unlock Company Profile
Kia 209 Unlock Company Profile
Ford Motor 72 Unlock Company Profile
Ipgate 57 Unlock Company Profile
Stella Vermogensverwaltungs 36 Unlock Company Profile
Lsp Innovative Automotive Systems 17 Unlock Company Profile
Zeppelin-Stiftung 122 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Hyundai is one of the leading patent filers in brake pedal sensors. It develops and manufactures brake pedal sensors for electromechanical brake systems that improve braking response time by capturing driver intent, even before the brake pedal moves. Other prominent companies in the brake pedal sensors segment are Robert Bosch Stiftung, HL Mando, Hyundai Mobis, and Hyundai Motor.

In terms of application diversity, Nissan Motor held the top position, while TDK and Kia stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Valeo leads the pack, followed by Texas Instruments and TDK.

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.