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 stabilising 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.

290+ 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 619,000 patents, there are 290+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Within the emerging innovation stage, resilient spoke wheels, auto-transmission lubrication circuits, and ignition switching engines are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Engine purge actuators, electro-dynamic braking, and adsorptive vapour recovery system estimation are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are collision avoidance braking control system and direct injection type engines, which are now well established in the industry.

Innovation S-curve for the automotive industry

Multi-spark ignition is a key innovation area in automotive

Multi-spark discharge (MSD) ignition is used in high-speed internal combustion engines fitted in vehicles such as racing cars, motorcycles, and outboard motors to achieve multiple sparks during each ignition.

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 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of multi-spark ignition.

Key players in multi-spark ignition – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.

Patent volumes related to multi-spark ignition

Company	Total patents (2010 - 2021)	Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Mazda Motor	110	Unlock company profile
Toyota Motor	64	Unlock company profile
General Motors	53	Unlock company profile
Ford Motor	51	Unlock company profile
Honda Motor	31	Unlock company profile
Hitachi	27	Unlock company profile
Denso	25	Unlock company profile
Robert Bosch Stiftung	24	Unlock company profile
IMAGINEERING	24	Unlock company profile
Mercedes-Benz Group	18	Unlock company profile
Mahle	8	Unlock company profile
Suzuki Motor	7	Unlock company profile
IFP Energies nouvelles	7	Unlock company profile
Orbital	7	Unlock company profile
BorgWarner	7	Unlock company profile
Hyundai Motor Group	7	Unlock company profile
Pinnacle Engines	6	Unlock company profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Mazda is one of the leading innovators in multi-spark ignition with 110 patents. Mazda filed a patent for a supercharged two-stroke engine that functions as a compression-ignition (like a diesel) engine under low loads and a spark ignition engine under high loads. Toyota, Hitachi, and Honda have also filed patents in the same field.

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.