Most cited automotive patents

1

This patent describes a specific process for rapidly stretching a highly crystalline form of PTFE plastic to create a strong, porous material with a unique internal structure, forming the basis for products like Gore-Tex.

2

This patent describes a camera sensor technology that combines light-capturing elements with a special circuit to read out the image data quickly and efficiently, all on a single chip.

3

The 1995 patent by Toyota Central R&D Labs that invented the QR code, using three distinct corner squares with a unique 1:1:3:1:1 pixel ratio to let scanners instantly find and read the code from any angle.

4

A safety system for self-balancing vehicles that monitors how much 'room' the machine has left to accelerate before it loses its ability to stay upright.

5

This 1974 patent describes a weapon that fires projectiles carrying wires to deliver incapacitating electric shocks to a target from a distance.

6

Stephanie Kwolek's 1971 patent for DuPont describing the molecular alignment and manufacturing of extremely strong, lightweight synthetic aramid fibers, which became famous as Kevlar.

7

The 1954 patent for the Unimate, the first digitally controlled robotic arm that could be programmed to move objects in a factory.

8

This 1981 patent details the chemistry behind the lithium-cobalt oxide cathodes that power almost every modern smartphone, laptop, and electric vehicle.

9

A system that boosts a vehicle's fuel cell power by injecting pure oxygen into the air supply when the engine needs extra energy.

10

Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions.

11

A 1952 patent for a durable, thin-film catalyst structure that allows gases to flow freely over reactive surfaces, forming the foundation for modern vehicle exhaust systems.

12

This 1954 patent describes the float glass process, a method for creating high-quality, perfectly flat glass by floating molten glass on a bath of liquid metal.

13

A self-contained battery module that houses both high and low voltage batteries, a power converter, and safety switches in a single unit designed for efficient heat management.

14

This patent describes an automated system that builds artificial intelligence models capable of adapting to new, different data without needing full retraining, by learning to ignore irrelevant changes.

15

A 1957 invention by Felix Wankel that replaces heavy, moving pistons with a triangular rotor spinning inside a chamber to create power.

16

A 1952 invention by John Parsons that used punched cards to automatically guide machine tools, effectively launching the era of computer-aided manufacturing.

17

A patent for a smart interface that tracks your physical gestures and past habits to predict what you want to do next, showing custom options on a screen to save you time.

18

A 1962 patent by Joseph-Armand Bombardier describing a lightweight, engine-driven vehicle using an endless track system for travel over snow.

19

A 1968 patent describing an early vehicle safety system that uses a rapidly inflating confinement to protect passengers during a collision.

20

Robert Kearns' 1967 patent for the first electronic intermittent windshield wiper system that mimics the human eye's blinking motion.

21

A 1948 invention by Ralph Teetor that introduced the mechanical foundation for modern cruise control by creating a system to resist accelerator pedal movement at a set speed.

22

The foundational 1959 patent for the three-point seatbelt, which secures both the torso and lap to prevent injury during vehicle collisions.

23

A 1903 patent for a mechanical staircase that moves in a circular, spiraling path to transport people between floors.

24

Nvidia's 2022 patent describes how to train AI for self-driving cars by using simulated environments and virtual sensors, then matching the simulated data format to real-world sensor data for AI processing.

25

Carl Magee's 1935 invention of the mechanical parking meter, which introduced the concept of paying for temporary street parking using a coin-activated timer.

26

This patent describes a system where one virtual computer runs simulations of a system, like a robot, and another virtual computer uses the simulation data to teach an AI model how to make better decisions.

27

Rudolf Diesel's 1898 patent describes a highly efficient engine that ignites fuel using the heat generated by compressing air rather than using a spark plug.

28

A system for automated drone maintenance stations that check if a drone is safe to fly by verifying its GPS, weight, and physical condition without human help.

29

A 1936 patent for a cross-shaped screw head designed to keep a screwdriver centered and prevent it from slipping during high-speed assembly.

30

A 1923 patent by May B. Cornwall describing a structural design for a suspended monorail train system intended for efficient passenger or cargo transport.