Technology Topic
Autonomous Driving Patent Classification
The central subclass for automated driving is B60W: conjoint control of vehicle sub-units, established in 2006. Driver-assistance logic, sensor fusion and the decision layer of self-driving systems classify here.
Autonomous navigation as such sits in G05D, shared with drones and robots. Vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination, platooning and traffic management classify in G08G for traffic control systems.
The classification codes that matter
CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL…
Conjoint vehicle control: ADAS and automated-driving decision logic, the core subclass since 2006.
2018 → 2023: 19,130 → 22,660 filings (+18 %)
SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
Autonomous control: position, course and altitude control shared across vehicles, drones and robots.
2018 → 2023: 27,789 → 22,402 filings (-19 %)
TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
Traffic control systems: V2X coordination, platooning and intersection management.
2018 → 2023: 23,671 → 19,713 filings (-17 %)
Who files here: top applicants
- 1 TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (JP) 55,192
- 2 FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES (US) 28,482
- 3 HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY (KR) 27,773
- 4 ROBERT BOSCH (DE) 25,502
- 5 KIA MOTORS CORPORATION (KR) 20,110
IPC filings 2013–2023, aggregated across the codes above. Source: EPO PATSTAT.
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