Toyota touted its innovative energies when it announced this week that it surpassed all other auto industry competitors in obtaining the most U.S. patents for the 11th straight year.
The Japanese automaker said it also stayed in the top 10 among all U.S. patent recipients last year with 2,428 patents.
Toyota said the range of patents illustrates its diversification. The newly secured intellectual properties range from inventions in cybersecurity, driver-assist technology, edge computing, electric and fuel cell vehicles and mobility as a service to manufacturing, materials, robotics, telematics and V2V/V2X connectivity.
“Toyota is evolving into a mobility company, and the breadth and depth of our patent acquisitions exemplify the wide range of invention that is taking place at our company,” said Sandra Phillips, senior vice president, Enterprise Integrity, chief sustainability officer and chief legal officer at Toyota Motor North America.
“It’s a collective effort from every part of Toyota including contributions from North America R&D, Toyota Research Institute, Toyota Connected, Woven by Toyota and our manufacturing centers.”
Phillips said the IP growth is concentrated among electrification, new material and autonomous driving technologies.
Among its approved 2024 patents are a method for automated vehicles to choose which surrounding autos to “cooperate” with for optimum traffic flow, and technology to extend battery life and improve safety in hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles, among other benefits.
