[Future Tech Through Patents] Technologies that Hyundai and Kia Focused

Hyundai and Kia cars are strengthening their IP Portfolio to grow continuously in this business.

After they passed 100 billion dollars(around 100Trillion KRW) of sales in 2010, they aggressively increased their patents, in which the number of registered patents passed 600 last year.

According to the IPnomics report ‘Future of Hyundai Cars Lie on Patents’, which was published by ETRC and Patentpia, Hyundai and Kia cars secured 2,916 patents in 490 technology categories within last 10 years (2005~2014) according to America’s the Patent and Trademark Office’s classification standard.

In past 10 years, more than 20 patents were registered in 25 technology categories such as operator sensing, vehicle control, bodies, poppet valve operating mechanisms, and etc. 250 patents related to operator sensing, 243 patents related to vehicle control, 132 patents related to bodies, and 143 patents related to poppet valve operating mechanisms were registered.

※Detailed information can be found on IPnomics homepage (www.ipnomics.co.kr)

<Hyundai and Kia cars consistently registered their patent. >

It was learned that Hyundai and Kia cars are focusing on developing technologies that are related to Smartcars and eco-friendly cars. If one were to look at patents that Hyundai and Kia secured in top 10 new technology categories in last 3 years, number operator sensing and vehicle control patents were 165 and 94 respectively, which received first and second places.

Vehicle control is a technology related to autonomous drive and it has 96 patents that are registered just in 2014. Drive control (39 patents) and speed control systems (30 patents), which are also in top 10, also have a lot of relevance too if by looking at the context.

Eco-friendly car technology development is very active too, and 5 technology categories such as engine valve control (55 patents), fuel cell (47 patents), exhaust control (37 patents), hybrid engine control (29 patents), and fuel supply and exhaust reduction (25 patents) are also lined up.


Engine valve control is related to mileage control by regulating intake and exhaust valve timing, which is in internal combustion. Fuel cell and hybrid engine control are important technologies that are related to hybrid cars, electric cars, hydrogen fueled cars, and etc. 21 patents that are related to choosing hybrid engines, which is a technology that is used when engines are changing in electric and hydrogen cars, are also registered although it wasn’t placed in top 10.

It is predicted that Hyundai and Kia cars’ smart and eco-friendly cars’ secured patents will increase steeply for a while. Smart car field will secure original technologies that are related to autonomous drive by 2018 and release mass-produced autonomous vehicles by 2020. Eco-friendly cars are aiming to raise average mileage by 25% and increase models from 7 to 22 by 2020. Henceforth Hyundai and Kia cars are investing 31 billion dollars just in developing eco-friendly cars. 

Staff Reporter Kim Dal | [email protected]