Protecting innovation – an inside view on patent activity

Innovation continues to drive automotive success, and OEMs and suppliers alike are stepping up their patent activity. According to figures from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the automotive industry as a whole increased the number of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filings last year by 18%. Compared to 2010, the number of automotive patent applications has soared 84%.

Automotive World spoke to Howard Shipley, an IP partner specialising in automotive issues with the global law firm Foley & Lardner, on the forces at work behind these figures.