The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity in augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) head-up displays (HUDs) is driven by factors such as increasing demand for AR and VR technology, growing adoption of AR/VR in the automotive industry, government regulations to promote the adoption of AR/VR HUDs in vehicles, and decreasing cost of AR/VR HUDs as well as growing importance of technologies such as display technologies and sensors. 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 Virtual and augmented reality in automotive: AR/VR head-up displays. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
AR/VR head-up displays is a key innovation area in virtual and augmented reality
AR/VR head-up displays involve the projection of virtual or augmented reality information onto a transparent surface, which is typically a windshield or a pair of glasses. These displays provide drivers with information such as route directions, speed limits or safety alerts in real-time, reducing the need for drivers to look down at their dashboard, ultimately improving driving safety.
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 460 companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of AR/VR head-up displays.
Key players in AR/VR head-up displays – 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 AR/VR head-up displays
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Panasonic is one of the leading patent filers in AR/VR head-up displays. Panasonic’s HUD displays employs projection technologies such as Digital Light Processing (DLP) and requires four sensors. Panasonic’s acclaimed SkipGen2 IVI – features patented eye tracking eye tracking system (ETS), which detects driver height and head movement and dynamically adjusts the position and focus of the images in the field of view or “eyebox”. Some other key patent filers in the space include Hitachi, Meta Platforms and Beijing Electronics.
In terms of application diversity, Meta Platforms leads the pack, while Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and HTC stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, The Saudi Public Investment Fund held the top position, followed by Texas Instruments and OrCam Technologies.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Augmented Reality (AR) 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.
