Trying to be Like Tesla and Toyota, Ford Advertises Open Patents
Following in the footsteps of Tesla, hoping to make one giant leap for Motor City, Ford has advertised that they’ve opened their electrified vehicle technology patents.
Well, okay, they didn’t open them up exactly. They more or less made known that they’re available to be seen and used- for a fee.
So, how is this not like what Tesla did? When Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk announced that his company would open up their patents they virtually threw open their vast book of knowledge and said, “Have at it boys!”
Every diagram, every measurement, all the notes. They’re 100% free to access.
The same goes for Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell patents.
In its modern history, Ford has filed or more than 1650 patent applications- 650 held, 1,000 pending. Unlike Tesla, Ford is encouraging “interested parties” to contact Ford Motor Company’s “technology commercialization and licensing office, or work through AutoHarvest” to make the patents available to them for a fee.
“As an industry, we need to collaborate while we continue to challenge each other,” said Layden. “By sharing ideas, companies can solve bigger challenges and help improve the industry.”
Is sharing ideas better done in a marketplace without a set fee for sharing ideas? The industry will have to decide.
Drive My Family 