Asia IP

Chinese automobile maker Geely Automobile Holdings takes the lead among all of its national automakers in terms of innovative capacity, according to a report revealed in late January by Thomas Reuters. Geely ranked No. 15, with about 1,500 patents, ahead foreign companies including Ford, Audi, BMW and Renault. 

The report examines recent patent trends in the automotive field, including companies involved in innovation and segments that have grown the fastest, based on data during the past five years.

Toyota has more than 7,000 patent assignments during the five-year period and is the auto world's top innovator from a patent perspective, according to the report. Toyota is one of five Japanese companies ranked in the top 10, the most of any country. The others are Honda, Denso, Seiko Epson and Mitsubishi.

In contrast, the United States has only one representative in the top 10, General Motors, which is the seventh on the list with less than 3,000 patents, according to the report.