Posts Tagged: automotive
Patent Trends Study Part Five: Automotive Industry
It has been a wild decade for the automotive industry, with U.S. auto brands almost dying in the Great Recession. Federal government intervention rescued brands and …
Identifying Non-Traditional Competitors: Spotting Aliens in Traditional Technologies
We have seen it with respect to the largest tech companies entering the banking market, and now we are seeing it with tech companies entering the automotive …
OEM Trademarks in the AfterMarket: Exploring the Boundaries
While there are certainly limits on how—and how much—aftermarket sellers can use OEM trademarks to communicate key information about aftermarket parts, the legal boundaries for …
3M files patent and trademark suit against Chinese manufacturer of spray gun paint preparation system
On September 21st, Saint Paul, MN-based technology and materials company 3M (NYSE:MMM) filed a lawsuit alleging patent and trademark infringement committed by Shanghai, China-based Thunder Finish. …
Autonomous vehicle development keeps creeping forward to a self-driving future
Autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles are coming, even if it’s going to take some time for the technology to become fully operational on U.S. highways. When …
Evolution of Auto Exhaust Catalysts: Dr. Haren Gandhi invents three-way catalysts for cleaner exhaust
Improvements in fuel economy and reduced emissions are largely the result of fuel additives and exhaust catalyst equipment working to clean up the chemicals emitted when fuel …
Microsoft, Toyota announce new licensing agreement for connected car IP
The licensing agreement, which covers patents directed at connected car technologies, is the latest partnership between these two companies seeking to increase entertainment and autonomous tech platforms …
Alphabet’s Waymo files patent and trade secret lawsuit against Uber
Waymo’s suit includes counts of infringement for each of the four patents asserted in the case. The suit also includes counts for violations of the Defend …
GM and Honda announce joint investment in fuel cell development, marrying two largest patent portfolios in the field
The official announcement released by both GM and Honda notes that both companies enjoy patent portfolios related to fuel cell battery technologies, which are among the world’…
Ford receives record number of U.S. patents during 2016 after consistent increases in R&D
Dearborn, MI-based automaker Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) recently issued a press release, which heralded the 1,442 patents granted to the company by the U.S. Patent and …
DOT unveils new policy guidance for autonomous vehicle developers
The Obama administration is hoping to add some clarity to the regulatory picture by unveiling a new set of guidelines in a 100-page federal automated vehicles policy …
Automakers own most vehicle infotainment patents despite gains by Android Auto, Apple CarPlay
Autonomous self-driving technologies may be grabbing headlines for vehicle manufacturers but it’s hardly the only direction in which carmakers are innovating. Infotainment systems bring a smartphone-like …
The new Elon Musk master plan for Tesla reeks of overconfidence
Elon Musk’s updated master plan reeks of overconfidence. He envisions entire fleets of autonomous Tesla vehicles while missing recent sales targets by thousands of units. He …
Thor’s purchase of Jayco is big merger in recreational vehicle sector during summer camping season
The market for recreational vehicles in America has been doing pretty well in recent years. A 2011 study sponsored by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) pegs the …
Automakers Lead Silicon Valley in Self-Driving Car Development
The patent landscape for self-driving vehicles is also quickly expanding. As of 2013, patent applications related to this technology hit 2,500 per year. That rate is expected to increase. …