While global ICT companies such as Google, Apple, Xerox, Cisco, and Qualcomm are working on securing patents for `self-driving car`, there is growing concern about technology subordination as Korean ICT companies are lagging behind in patent registration.

According to industry sources on April 26, global ICT companies developing self-driving car technologies such as Google, Apple and Cisco are making their patent applications in the US, the world`s largest automobile market.

Competition for securing patents in self-driving car is no longer just a car manufacturer story. Self-driving cars are cars that integrate cars and ICTs and drive themselves to set destinations. Recently, Google and Uber have also released "self-flying car" beyond self-driving cars. As the era of self-driving car will soon come true, related technology development and patent applications are in full swing in the world market.

What is noteworthy is that ICT companies, as well as automakers and auto parts makers, are actively moving to secure patents related to future cars as their growth businesses. According to the results of the survey conducted by the Korea Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (AIRI), about 100 US patent applications related to self-driving since 2005 were filed by ICT companies. Google accounted for 16 applications while Xerox accounted for 6, and Apple for 2. Besides, one application each for Cisco, Qualcomm, Qualcomm-supported Neuroscience Startup Brain Corporation, Hitachi, Yandex, Accenture, Infosys Limited, HP and Verizon Telematics have been filed.


Google applied for △a patent for driving route setting function, △ car condition detection, △ parts control required for driving, △ automobile adaptive control recognizing the driving mode, and △ technology for recognizing the road using a camera. Xerox`s patent-pending technologies include △ automotive condition detection, △ car identification, and △classification-related technologies. Apple filed a patent for driving directions (navigation directions). Cisco applied patents for parts control technology required for operation, and Qualcomm, Brain Corporation and Hitachi each filed patents for vehicle condition detection technology.

The technology applied by the Russian search service company Yandex is traffic flow prediction, traffic congestion expression technology. Accenture Global Services has applied for technology to deliver driving information to passengers, Infosys Limited and HP for traffic information processing technology, and Verizon Telematics for patents on drones.

Meanwhile, there are no US patent applications related to self-driving cars of domestic ICT companies such as Samsung, LG, 3 mobile carriers, and Naver. It means that Korean ICT companies are greatly lagging behind in the patent competition.


Some experts have warned that Korean companies are developing related technologies without even knowing the status of patents related to self-driving of foreign companies and it may cause potential lawsuit.

"The US market is expected to be a keystone of the self-driving car and will be a battleground at the same time," said Jang Yoon-suk, team manager at AIRI. "There is no company that applied for a patent in the US. If we do not want to be in trouble, we also have to prepare for the patent. "

He also mentioned, "If the technology we have developed so far proves to be infringing on the patents of overseas companies, we are finally making `technology that cannot be sold.”

Meanwhile, according to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), a total of 208 patents have been filed by 2015 for Korean patents in the self-driving field. Hyundai Motor (48), KAIST (32), Samsung Electronics (37), Mando (22), Hyundai Mobis (19), Google (12 cases), and except for Samsung Electronics, there is no patent application for pure domestic ICT companies

By Kim Soo Yeon newsnews@


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