Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa President, Chief Executive Officer | Toyota Battery Manufacturing
Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa President, Chief Executive Officer | Toyota Battery Manufacturing
For the 11th year in a row, Toyota has led the automotive industry in securing patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as reported by the Intellectual Property Owners Association. In 2024, Toyota received 2,428 U.S. patents, ranking it within the top 10 of all patent recipients.
The Japanese automaker's commitment to innovation spans diverse fields, with patent approvals in cybersecurity, driver assist technologies, edge computing, electric and fuel cell vehicles, and more. Sandra Phillips, senior vice president at Toyota Motor North America, commented, “Toyota is evolving into a mobility company, and the breadth and depth of our patent acquisitions exemplify the wide range of invention that is taking place at our company.” She highlighted the joint efforts across various divisions within Toyota, including North America R&D and Toyota Research Institute.
Fred Mau, Intellectual Property counsel and director for Toyota IP Solutions, emphasized the strategic nature of their patent filings. “We are securing a tremendous amount of new IP in growth areas of electrification, new materials and autonomous driving,” he stated.
Several notable patents issued in 2024 include the "LiDAR Reflective Fabric," which improves obstacle detection and "Transport Energy Transfer using Real-time Cost Information," optimizing electric vehicle charging based on real-time electricity pricing. Other inventions involve systems for cooperative maneuvering among connected vehicles and a modular fuel cell system architecture to enhance hydrogen fuel cell systems.
About Toyota's ongoing innovation efforts, the company provides extensive R&D operations across North America, contributing to the development of next-generation vehicles and advanced mobility concepts. Toyota's ongoing dedication to research and development is reflected in its substantial investment of approximately $1 million per hour globally.
Toyota also has plans to manufacture automotive batteries at a North Carolina plant in spring 2025, further by enhancing its electrified vehicle offerings, which currently include 31 different options.
For more insights and updates on Toyota's initiatives, visit their news site at www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
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