April 19, 2024
Automobiles
Mando vows to hike R&D spending, increase patents
[THE INVESTOR] South Korean auto parts maker Mando vowed to increase the percentage of sales dedicated to research and development from 5.5 percent to 6 percent in the future, in an effort to secure more patents to stay competitive, the company said on Dec. 15.
From 2012 to 2015, Mando had registered 2,867 patents globally, which is expected to exceed 700 this year alone.
The company said 40 percent of the patents were granted overseas, with the US, Germany and China accounting for the most.
More than 900 patents are related to driver assistance system and other safety features, the company said. It plans to focus on developing future car technologies -- including driverless cars and electric vehicle.
“We will gradually increase our overseas patents by 2018 to secure our intellectual property rights,” a Mando official said in a statement. “We plan to develop and buy new patents to secure a patent family that could be applied for future disputes.”
Meanwhile, Mando is embroiled in a patent war against German auto parts maker Bosch.
Bosch filed a lawsuit against Mando in the US court for infringing four of its patents related to the anti-lock braking system and electric stability control products in July.
Mando had denied the allegations saying it would actively respond to the lawsuit to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)
