The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity in smart speed governors is driven by the need to improve road safety, increase lifespan of brake and engine, and conserve fuel, and growing importance of technologies such as proprietary advanced position systems technology and intelligent speed control system, and Raspberry Pi3. 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 speed governors. 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 the 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 speed governors is a key innovation area in Internet of Things

Smart speed governors are devices and systems used to control and regulate the rotational speed (rpm) of an engine. These governors utilize various sensors, controllers, and actuators to monitor and manipulate engine speed in order to maintain optimal performance, enhance fuel efficiency, and ensure safe operation of vehicles and machinery.

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 65+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of smart speed governors.

Key players in smart speed governors – 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 speed governors

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Volvo 9 Unlock Company Profile
CNH Industrial 9 Unlock Company Profile
Shandong Heavy Industry Group 8 Unlock Company Profile
Rolls-Royce 4 Unlock Company Profile
Kohler 5 Unlock Company Profile
Illinois Tool Works 13 Unlock Company Profile
Tata Motors 21 Unlock Company Profile
Toyota Motor 67 Unlock Company Profile
GE Jenbacher 9 Unlock Company Profile
Robert Bosch Stiftung 6 Unlock Company Profile
Dongfeng Motor 14 Unlock Company Profile
Husqvarna 14 Unlock Company Profile
Hyundai Motor 32 Unlock Company Profile
Nissan Motor 19 Unlock Company Profile
Yamaha Motor 10 Unlock Company Profile
Hitachi 15 Unlock Company Profile
General Electric 29 Unlock Company Profile
NGK Spark Plug 6 Unlock Company Profile
Suzuki Motor 4 Unlock Company Profile
Honda Motor 10 Unlock Company Profile
Komatsu 18 Unlock Company Profile
Techtronic Industries 7 Unlock Company Profile
Deere 5 Unlock Company Profile
Porsche Automobil 34 Unlock Company Profile
General Motors 30 Unlock Company Profile
Denso 6 Unlock Company Profile
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 9 Unlock Company Profile
Kubota 11 Unlock Company Profile
Kia 21 Unlock Company Profile
Ford Motor 65 Unlock Company Profile
Kawasaki Heavy Industries 4 Unlock Company Profile
Stihl 11 Unlock Company Profile
Yanmar (Tokyo Office) 16 Unlock Company Profile
YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY 7 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Toyota Motor is one of the leading patent filers in smart speed governors and introduced acceleration suppression system. Some other key patent filers in the space include Ford Motor and Porsche Automobil.

In terms of application diversity, General Electric leads the pack, while Yanmar and Dongfeng Motor stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, General Electric held the top position, followed by Illinois Tool Works and Nissan Motor.

To further understand the key themes and technologies 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.