The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the need for greater safety, and autonomous and connected vehicles, and growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. 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: smart car seats. 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
Smart car seats is a key innovation area in Internet of Things
Smart car seats feature smart materials that offer climate and stain resistance as well as smart functions through various electrical and mechanical adjustments and sensors. Smart car seats make driving comfortable, relaxed, and safe.
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 280+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of smart car seats.
Key players in smart car seats – 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 smart car seats
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Faurecia is one of the leading patent filers in the smart car seats innovation area. The company’s smart car seat technology is a haptic solution that offers an immersive and safe experience, where tactile sensations are embedded in the car seat, stimulating the user’s sense of touch. It uses an all-in-one seat sensor to identify potential physical pain and then activates corrective actions, such as massages, haptic vibrations, seat position adjustments, and personalized sounds via integrated headphones in the headrest to alleviate any discomfort. The seat sensors can also help with safety features such as driver monitoring, occupant detection, drowsiness and stress detection and offer alerts and comfort adjustments.
Ford Motor, Hyundai Motor, Kia, and Toyota Motor are some of the other key players innovating in smart car seats.
In terms of application diversity Sumitomo Electric held the top position, while Mercedes-Benz Group and Robert Bosch Stiftung stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, ClearMotion leads the pack, followed by Sumitomo Electric and CYBEX.
To further understand how Internet of Things is 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.
