Patents for the technology thought to be crucial to autonomous cars have jumped to a new record high, research suggests.
Property law firm Mathys & Squire has found that patents for wireless communications technology filed by the top 20 carmakers have surged to 991 in the past year, up from 945 in the previous 12-month period and three-fold from the 323 patents applied for five years ago.
Andrew White, partner at Mathys & Squire, said: “The automotive industry knows access to wireless communications technology is vital to its future. They fear that telecom companies might frustrate their access to this technology.
“Owning wireless communications patents is a win-win for the automotive industry. It gives them valuable IP in a growing field and reduces the risk of legal battles with telecoms firms.”
One example highlighted by Mathys & Squire is the dispute between Daimler and Nokia, which saw the pair debate over who should pay for the licensing fees for the Nokia-made navigation technology. Daimler claimed that it was the supplier of the part that should pay the fee, whereas Nokia thought the opposite. In the end, it was settled with Daimler paying Nokia an undisclosed amount.
