Posts Tagged: "Hyundai"

Thomson Reuters analysts put their research in high gear to quantify just who the major players in this space are with the “2016 State of Self-Driving Automotive Innovation.” Data was aggregated from the Derwent World Patents Index® collection to identify global patent activity and the total number of unique inventions issued in published patent applications and granted patents were analyzed from January 2010 through October 31, 2015. The findings detail a notable commitment from carmakers and tech companies to advance driverless technology, while uncovering the fact that established automakers are the most likely to have the biggest impact in the self-driving category in the near term.

In many ways, 2015 has been the year of the automobile, especially in the tech world. Throughout the course of the year we’ve noted a great deal of business and technological developments that have been reshaping the entire vehicle manufacturing sector. Gone are the days that the market is completely dominated by names such as General Motors Company, Ford Motor Company or Toyota Motor Corp. As 2015 draws to a close, these traditional automaker behemoths are seeing encroachment on their position from some unusual names, especially those residing in Silicon Valley.

We identified a total of 54 patented autonomous vehicle technologies in the holdings of the Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM), the largest foreign competitor among major auto manufacturers. These patents reflect practical systems helping autonomous vehicles identify roadway features. We also found 49 U.S. patents in the holdings of the Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC) related to self-driving technologies, including the traffic safety systems and guidance.

Japan is not the only economic sector in Asia that has been eking out a strong niche in the global automotive sector. The 2015 Global Automotive Executive Survey released by global auditing firm KPMG reports that the Hyundai/Kia group of South Korea is the auto manufacturing business whose market share was most expected to increase by auto executives. As of 2015, the report shows that Hyundai/Kia holds the fifth-overall ranking for mass market vehicle production. The story of South Korean car makers entering the U.S. market and Korean automobiles on American roadways follows a familiar script. Consumer perceptions give way to a recognition of quality improvements and lower price tags.