An annual report by the Intellectual Property Owners Association shows that Toyota granted 2,667 patents in 2023, putting it in seventh position overall, just ahead of Google and Apple, and well ahead of all other automakers.
For comparison, here’s how the other automakers compare among the most sensible three hundred:
7. Toyota: 2,667 patents15. Hyundai-2. 05222. Ford – 1. 30628. Honda – 1. 14245. General Motors – 87079. Porsche – 521113. Rolls-Royce – 378140. Nissan – 305151. Subaru – 279.
Toyota obtained 12% fewer patents in 2024 compared to 2023, four times more than the 3% depression seen across industries in the U. S. U. S. However, it managed to rank most prominently among automakers for the tenth year in a row.
“This achievement continues to underscore Toyota’s unwavering commitment to innovation, especially in critical spaces for long-term mobility, such as electrification and intelligent transportation solutions,” said Sandra Phillips Rogers, executive vice president of Toyota.
The patents are publicly available and searchable on the USPTO’s website, and if you dig a little deeper, notice that most of those 2,667 patents are somewhat boring, at least from a consumer perspective. For engineers, that’s probably for the best.
They demonstrate an enormous amount of innovation that, in the end, translates into higher quality products for customers. One of Toyota’s patents in 2023 was for kinetic seat cushions, which use surprise air and oil absorption systems to stabilize occupants. It debuted in the first IsoDynamic Performance seat in the 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro, pictured above.
Another patent was for a new composite curtain of carbon fiber and metal nanocurtains, which could help fill in the weaknesses of carbon fiber in certain applications. And more recently, Toyota patented a cover for the bed of a pickup truck that had an integrated airbag that extended downward to help store small or loose parts in bed.
Patents are not necessarily the most accurate proof of innovation, but they are a vital marker of innovation. And with more patents earned than any other automaker for 10 consecutive years, Toyota deserves to be identified as one of the world’s most advanced automakers. .
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout her life, she was told that French was the language of romance, but it was English that she fell in love with. He loves cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1 and posing as a racing driver in simulators; But most of all, he likes to write about everything. See more articles through Kurt.