The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity in turbocharger shaft bearings is driven by increased engine efficiency, reduced friction and wear, enhanced performance, and growing importance of technologies such as ball bearings, twin or dual ball bearings, oil and lubrication technology. 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 Innovation in automotive: turbocharger shaft bearings. 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, integrated multi-motor drivetrains, electric power steering (EPS), and post-collision handling are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Variable compression engines, V2V distance monitoring, and turbocharger shaft bearings are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) and plasma-jet ignition, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the automotive industry
Turbocharger shaft bearings is a key innovation area in automotive
Turbocharger shaft bearings are components used in turbochargers to support the rotational shaft. They aid in minimizing friction, enabling seamless shaft rotation, thereby enhancing the turbocharger's performance and efficiency.
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 turbocharger shaft bearings.
Key players in turbocharger shaft bearings – 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 turbocharger shaft bearings
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Marelli | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NTT | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mercedes-Benz Group | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| FountainVest Partners | 115 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 182 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IHI | 508 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ABB | 117 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schaeffler | 84 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Atlas Copco | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Benteler International | 63 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MinebeaMitsumi | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 64 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cummins | 188 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Caterpillar | 97 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Electric | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 495 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Motors | 128 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Raytheon Technologies | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Taiho Kogyo | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bayerische Motoren Werke | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honeywell International | 140 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BorgWarner | 1197 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 547 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Continental | 185 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Motor | 59 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems | 125 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Garrett Motion | 356 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
BorgWarner is one of the leading patent filers in turbocharger shaft bearings. The company develops innovative bearing materials or coatings with enhanced durability, reduced friction, and improved heat resistance, to optimize bearing performance within turbochargers. BorgWarner’s high-performance bearing designs focus on reducing rotational inertia, minimizing frictional losses, and enhancing load-bearing capacities to improve turbocharger responsiveness and efficiency. Some other key patent filers in this space include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI.
In terms of application diversity, Kia leads the pack, while United Technologies and Robert Bosch Stiftung stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Kawasaki Heavy Industries held the top position, followed by Benteler International and Mitsubishi.
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.
