Ford Tipped for Tech Innovation
A new study by the world’s leading patent analyst, The Patent Board, found that Ford Motor Company outperformed all other automakers in the quality and significance of its technology patents.
"Ford's patented technologies are closer to the cutting edge than its competitors," says Christine Wren, director of business development for The Patent Board, which tracks and analyzes patents across 17 industries globally.
Technological innovation is a core value at Ford as the company drives for leadership in quality, safety, fuel efficiency and in-car connectivity. For example, the 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, which is America's most fuel efficient mid-size sedan, have 119 patents, a record for Ford.
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The Patent Board recently issued its Top 10 Innovators in Automotive & Transportation Patent Scorecard for the fourth quarter of 2008, which ranks Ford above all other automakers in Research Intensity and Industry Impact. Ford’s Research Intensity score, which is more than twice that of the industry average, indicates the extent to which its portfolio includes patents with strong scientific support.
Similarly, The Patent Board’s Industry Impact score measures the broader significance and impact of a company’s patent portfolio across the industry. This indicator analyzes how other patents build on Ford’s innovation by looking at patent-to-patent citations.
One of the patents, the EasyFuel Capless Fuel-Filler System is scheduled to be included on the 2010 Mustang. This industry-exclusive feature eliminates the need to touch dirty gas caps and helps to reduce evaporative emissions that create smog. When fueling is completed and the fuel pump nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut.
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