Innovations reshaping transport industry: WIPO
Feb 08, 2025
Geneva [Switzerland], February 8: A new report by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has revealed that innovation in the global transport sector is increasingly focused on environmentally friendly future technologies, including air taxis, wireless charging for electric vehicles, and autonomous cargo ships.
The report, released today in Geneva, highlighted that China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Germany, and the United States are leading this wave of innovation.
It also noted a steady rise in patent registrations for legacy products, such as internal combustion engines and other fossil fuel-based systems.
Titled WIPO Technology Trends: Future of Transportation, the report identified more than 1.1 million inventions disclosed in published patents since 2000 related to the future of transport, sustainability-focused technologies, and major digitalisation trends, including green fuels and interconnected smart transport systems.
According to the report, the compound annual growth rate of transport-related patents reached 11 percent by 2023 -- more than double the growth rate of all published patents worldwide. This reflects the sector's significance, as transport accounts for between 6 to 12 percent of GDP in many countries and approximately 23 percent of global energy-related carbon emissions annually.
The report highlighted that the fastest-growing patent segment is in sustainable propulsion, including electric vehicle batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, as part of global efforts to ensure cleaner and more climate-friendly mobility solutions, particularly as nations strive to achieve net-zero emissions.
It further stated that China, Japan, the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Germany collectively account for around 90 percent of all transport-related patents. Since 2000, these five countries have produced nearly 1.05 million innovations in future transport technologies.
Source: Emirates News Agency
