Toyota has said it has been awarded more patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) than any other automaker according to an annual report by the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO).

Despite a challenging year that saw a 3% overall decline in patents granted across all industries in the United States, Toyota ranked seventh among all companies awarded patents in 2023, receiving a total of 2,667 patents.

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Sandra Phillips Rogers, senior vice president of Corporate Resources and chief legal officer at Toyota Motor North America said: “This achievement continues to underscore Toyota’s unwavering commitment to innovation, particularly in areas critical to the future of mobility such as electrification and intelligent transportation solutions.”

Globally, Toyota says it spends approximately $1 million per hour on R&D.

Frederick Mau, intellectual property counsel and director of Patent Licensing for Toyota Motor North America said: “Toyota team members work very aggressively at research and development to discover cutting-edge technology for propelling the company forward.”

See also: Technology patents trends and Toyota’s EV push

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