Ford opens portfolio to competitors
Ford Motor Company is offering competitors access to its electrified vehicle technology patents – a move to help accelerate industry-wide research and development of electrified vehicles.
In 2014, Ford filed more than 400 patents dedicated to electrified vehicle technologies. This is more than 20% of the patents the company filed – totaling more than 2,000 applications.
‘Innovation is our goal,’ said Kevin Layden, director, Ford Electrification Programs. ‘The way to provide the best technology is through constant development and progress. By sharing our research with other companies, we will accelerate the growth of electrified vehicle technology and deliver even better products to customers.’
Ford believes sharing its patented technologies will promote faster development of future inventions as all automakers look toward greater opportunities.
‘As an industry, we need to collaborate while we continue to challenge each other,’ said Kevin. ‘By sharing ideas, companies can solve bigger challenges and help improve the industry.’
To access Ford’s patents and published patent applications, interested parties can contact the company’s technology commercialization and licensing office, or work through AutoHarvest – an automaker collaborative innovation and licensing marketplace.
‘Ford helped launch AutoHarvest as a founding member to enable efficient and transparent technology licensing across the automotive industry and beyond,’ said Bill Coughlin, president and CEO, Ford Global Technologies, which manages intellectual property for Ford.
