According to WIPO’s Technology Trends report on the Future of Transportation, the latest information gathered from patent filings reveals an alluring glimpse into a nearby future where there is less traffic pollution, fewer traffic jams, and the ability to travel to the other side of the world in just a few hours.
The report states that inventors are actively working towards creating a cleaner and more efficient means of transportation for tomorrow, as evidenced by the 700% increase in patent filings for future transportation solutions over the past two decades, from 15,000 in 2003 to 120,000 in 2023.
WIPO emphasizes that this trend is driven by the recognition that transportation is responsible for more than one-third of global CO2 emissions, leading to the development of sustainable technologies that reduce the environmental impact of transportation. This includes the adoption of electrified propulsion, the use of renewable energy sources, and the promotion of public and shared transportation options.
The transportation sector is also being revolutionized by digitalization, with the rise of autonomous driving projected to generate between $300 billion and $400 billion in revenue by 2035. WIPO asserts that intellectual property plays a crucial role in encouraging investment in research and development for groundbreaking innovations, such as wireless charging for electric vehicles.
Competition is fierce in the transportation industry, with companies vying for access to rare earth minerals. Additionally, AI is becoming increasingly prominent, as seen in the rise of autonomous driving and its potential to transform the sector. However, WIPO notes that infrastructure has not adapted quickly enough for autonomous vehicles to fully take over.
Patent filings for legacy transportation systems, such as the internal combustion engine and fossil fuel-based systems, have shown flatlining growth, while sustainable alternatives have been on the rise. Since 2000, over 1.1 million inventions have reshaped transportation, introducing options such as renewable energy cells, air taxis, and self-piloting cargo ships.
The top inventors in this travel transformation are China, Japan, the US, South Korea, and Germany. Land transportation patents dominate global filings, outnumbering those for air, sea, and space combined by 3.5 times. The US leads in international patent filings.
The largest area of growth in patenting is in sustainable propulsion, such as batteries for electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells, reflecting efforts to move people and goods in a cleaner and more climate-friendly manner.
Experts predict that AI will play a crucial role in future transportation solutions. However, the scarcity of rare earth minerals may hinder the mass adoption of electric cars, as these minerals are not effectively utilized in personal vehicles that are only used for a small portion of the day.
In the air sector, drones are expected to continue their rise, but concerns about visual and noise pollution have been raised. However, drones may be accepted in situations where traditional transportation is difficult, such as in emergency medicine.
China has shown strong growth in transport patents, thanks to its dominance in the electric vehicle market. However, other countries such as Sweden, Italy, India, and Canada have also contributed significantly to patent filings.