In Pursuit of Tech Patents, Ford Outranks Competitors

January 29, 2009

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Ford Motor Company announced that its 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are setting a new standard for technology innovation, having filed almost 120 U.S. patents and applications.

Ford was ranked above other automakers in “Research Intensity and Industry Impact” on the Top 10 Innovators in Automotive & Transportation Patent Scorecard for 4Q08, issued by the Patent Board.

“Ford’s overall patent portfolio plays a significant role in serving as a foundation for other technology innovation as shown by receiving 20 percent more citations than the average portfolio in this industry,” said Christine Wren, director of business development for the Patent Board.

Specific Fusion and Fusion Hybrid patents include the SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster that helps coach drivers to achieve better fuel efficiency. The Fusion Hybrid’s powertrain system allows the vehicle to operate up to 47 miles-per-hour in electric mode, or about twice as fast as some of its competitors. The Easy Fuel Capless Fuel-Filler system eliminates the need to touch dirty gas caps and helps reduce emissions that create smog.

Earlier this month, Nacy Gioia, Ford’s director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs, discussed alternative fuel vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show 2009.

Last August the company announced that its researchers have formulated the chemistry to replace 40 percent of the standard petroleum-based polyol with a soy-derived material, compared with the auto industry’s 5-percent soy-based polyol.

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