This report created by MarkLines focuses on a number of technical topics surrounding the automotive industry, and is based on patent information obtained from the "Technical Information Distribution Service-swimy" information service provided by Toyota Technical Development Corp. (TTDC). The two business areas of TTDC are in the fields of intellectual property (IP) and measurement control solutions. The intellectual property (IP) side of TTDC is involved in the collection and analysis of information on automotive technology developments globally, and provides services such as consulting for research planning, applying for patents in foreign languages, and technical translation.

  This report describes the technology development initiatives at OEMs with regards to ride sharing, one of the most talked-about mobility services, with features such as app-based dispatch services, and rental cars, which can be considered the conventional form of car sharing. Car sharing patent applications have been on the rise from 2011 to 2017. In particular, Nissan Motor, Ford, Toyota Motor, GM, Park24, Ningbo Sharen Go Electric Vehicle Service, Denso, Beijing Didi Infinity Technology & Development, the Japan Research Institute, and the Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute have applied for many patents. Nissan Motor has continually applied for patents from 2011 to 2017. Notably, Nissan has a large number of patent applications for development items related to “shared vehicle management”, while Ford has applied for many patents related to “ride-sharing and long-term ride-share groups”.

Toyota Technical Development Corp.
Technical information distribution service swimy  URL: https://thinktank.toyota-td.jp/