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The Looming Threat: Patent Trends in the Automobile Industry
Types of Patents
According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. Design patents on the other hand are granted to anyone who invents a new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. Only three to four percent of the total U.S. utility and design patents awarded each year are design patents.
Car Companies Strive for Monopoly — Seek to maximize profits at expense of consumers
Consumers no longer have an alternative option for quality replacement parts for the 2004, 2005, 2006 or 2007 Ford F150. Indications are that the large automobile manufacturers may be strategizing to obtain restrictive 14-year design patents on visible components of many other new car makes and models, further monopolizing the auto repair parts market.
Over the past five years, design patents awarded to the major automobile manufacturers have grown to about 20 to 25 percent of the total U.S. patents awarded to those manufacturers. More importantly, “crash parts” account for anywhere from 50 to 93 percent of the U.S. design patents awarded to major automobile manufacturers.
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