Connected Vehicle / V2X Patent Landscape 2026
The Connected Vehicle and V2X patent space is heavily concentrated, with LG Electronics alone commanding the single largest position among the hundred biggest filers, and the top five collectively holding more than half of that group’s combined total. Annual filing volume peaked in 2020 and has since eased back substantially, placing the field in a post-peak consolidation phase rather than a growth race.
LG Electronics leads a highly concentrated field with a commanding tier-one position
LG Electronics holds the top position in the ranking with 1,549 patent families, followed by Qualcomm at 747 and Samsung Electronics at 443, making the first tier markedly larger than the rest of the field.
The top five filers — LG Electronics, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Huawei, and Intel — together account for roughly 52% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling a high degree of concentration. A visible tier gap separates these five from the mid-field, where Apple, Hyundai Motor, Ericsson, Ford, and Toyota each hold between 121 and 169 patent families.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LG Electronics Inc. | 1,549 | |
| 2 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 747 | |
| 3 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 443 | |
| 4 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 368 | |
| 5 | Intel Corporation | 169 | |
| 6 | Apple Inc. | 160 | |
| 7 | Hyundai Motor Company | 153 | |
| 8 | Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson | 139 | |
| 9 | Ford Global Technologies LLC | 122 | |
| 10 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 121 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. | 107 | |
| 12 | Allstate Insurance Company | 106 | |
| 13 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | 92 | |
| 14 | Sony Group Corporation | 92 | |
| 15 | State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company | 77 | |
| 16 | General Motors LLC | 75 | |
| 17 | Geotab Inc. | 72 | |
| 18 | Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | 66 | |
| 19 | Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd. | 62 | |
| 20 | Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. | 61 |
LG Electronics’ lead, concentrated almost entirely in wireless communication network protocols, reflects deep investment in cellular V2X (C-V2X) standardization. Qualcomm’s second-place position reinforces that chipset and protocol IP is the primary battleground, while the presence of automotive OEMs such as Hyundai, Ford, and Toyota in the top ten indicates that vehicle-side integration has become a strategic priority for manufacturers as well.
The most recent 18–24 months of filing data are subject to publication lag and should be treated as under-counted; apparent drops in 2024–2025 reflect this lag rather than a sudden withdrawal of activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings surged to a 2020 peak then eased; wireless protocols dominate the technology mix
The annual filing trend shows a steep ramp from 2017 to a 2020 peak, followed by a sustained decline through subsequent years. The technology composition chart reveals that wireless communication network protocols are overwhelmingly dominant, with vehicle control and traffic management forming a secondary layer.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings climbed from 531 in 2017 to a peak of 1,377 in 2020, driven largely by 5G NR-V2X standardization activity, then retreated to 943 in 2022. Figures for 2023 onward reflect publication lag and are structurally under-counted; the apparent sharp drop should not be read as a real-world withdrawal.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H04W (Wireless communication networks) is the dominant branch by a wide margin, reflecting the protocol-centric nature of C-V2X development. H04L (Digital information transmission) forms a substantial secondary cluster, while B60W (Hybrid/joint vehicle control) and G08G (Traffic control systems) represent the vehicle-side and infrastructure-side complements at meaningfully lower shares.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Vehicle warning method, telematics control unit an…
A vehicle warning method based on Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication is provided. The method is used in a telematics control unit (TCU) installed in a first vehicle and includes: receiving a heartbeat frequency of a user driving the first vehicle; determining whether the heartbeat frequency is within a normal range; adding a first loss-of-control… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Method and apparatus for high reliability transmis… | 500 |
| 2 | Electronic System for Dynamic, Quasi-Realtime Meas… | 427 |
| 3 | Method and apparatus for NR v2x resource selection | 364 |
| 4 | Assistance on the go | 309 |
| 5 | Methods of autonomous resource selection in new ra… | 268 |
| 6 | Method and apparatus for network controlled resour… | 255 |
| 7 | Adaptive drive supporting apparatus and method | 239 |
| 8 | System and method for supporting urllc in advanced… | 223 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for V2X R&D investment
Four structural observations — maturity, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geographic distribution — shape where new entrants and incumbents can most efficiently deploy R&D resources.
Post-peak consolidation: the field has passed its fastest growth phase
The lifecycle evidence indicates that annual filing volume has eased back from its 2020 peak, placing V2X in a declining-annual-volume phase on a recent-window basis. This pattern is consistent with the 5G NR-V2X standardization wave having largely concluded. New filings are now more likely to represent incremental refinement, implementation-layer IP, or repositioning toward 6G and next-generation sidelink rather than foundational protocol races.
Post-PeakTier-one incumbents hold a structurally entrenched protocol IP position
The top five filers’ 52% share of the hundred largest filers’ total indicates a high barrier for new entrants attempting to compete directly in core wireless protocol IP. The mid-field — OEMs and telecom equipment vendors each holding roughly 100–170 patent families — suggests a second competitive tier where differentiation is still achievable. Niche players focused on telematics, insurance telematics, or traffic management occupy a much smaller position and face less direct IP pressure from the tier-one incumbents.
High ConcentrationHyundai-Kia is the dominant co-filing pair; OEM-university links are active in Korea
The most active co-filing relationship in the corpus is between Hyundai Motor and Kia, who have jointly filed 106 patent families — far exceeding any other pairing. Samsung Electronics and Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center account for 10 co-filed families, reflecting intra-group coordination. Huawei and BMW have co-filed 4 families, pointing to a cross-industry partnership linking communications infrastructure with automotive integration. Hyundai also co-filed with Hanyang University, Yonsei University, and Kookmin University, each at 2–4 families, indicating an active OEM-academia channel in Korea.
OEM-Led AlliancesThe United States is the primary protection market; Europe and China are secondary
The United States leads all jurisdictions by a substantial margin, reflecting both the home market strategies of US-headquartered applicants and the attractiveness of the US market for foreign filers. Europe via the EPO is the second-largest jurisdiction, followed by China, WIPO PCT, and India. South Korea, despite hosting two of the top three applicants, ranks sixth, suggesting that Korean filers prioritize US and EPO coverage first. Japan and Canada are smaller but consistent secondary markets.
US-CentricGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Motor Company | Kia Corporation | 106 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center | 10 |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | BMW AG | 4 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Hanyang University Industry-University Cooperation Foundation | 4 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Penta Security Systems Inc. | 4 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Kia Corporation | 3 |
| LG Electronics Inc. | University of Sao Paulo | 2 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 成均馆大学校产学协力团 | 2 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | 延世大学校产学协力团 | 2 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | 国民大学校产学协力团 | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
LG Electronics and Qualcomm lead on wireless protocol depth; OEMs anchor the vehicle-control layer
The top two applicants are both wireless-protocol specialists whose portfolios are concentrated almost entirely within H04W subclasses, while automotive OEMs such as Hyundai Motor add a secondary B60W dimension that pure telecoms players lack.
LG Electronics
LG Electronics holds 1,549 patent families, more than twice the second-ranked applicant, with technology emphasis concentrated in H04W wireless communication network subclasses covering vehicle-to-everything signaling, resource scheduling, and network architecture. Recent momentum has declined at approximately –55% versus the prior three-year window, consistent with the broader post-2020 market-wide easing rather than a unique strategic retreat.
patent families: 1,549Qualcomm
Qualcomm holds 747 patent families and is the closest challenger, with technology focus spanning H04W wireless network protocols and, distinctively, G08G traffic control systems — a combination that positions it across both the air-interface and application layers of V2X. Recent momentum shows a –37% decline versus the prior period, the smallest retreat among the top-tier applicants, suggesting relatively more sustained recent activity.
patent families: 747| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| LG Electronics Inc. | 335 | ▼ -55% |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | 231 | ▼ -37% |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 68 | ▼ -78% |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 74 | ▼ -72% |
| Intel Corporation | 22 | ▼ -74% |
| Hyundai Motor Company | 8 | ▼ -89% |
| Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson | 17 | ▼ -83% |
| Ford Global Technologies LLC | 21 | ▼ -67% |
Vehicle control integration and traffic infrastructure are under-served relative to the wireless core
Compared with the overwhelming concentration in wireless protocol IP, several branches adjacent to the V2X application layer show meaningfully lower filing density, representing areas where IP positions are less entrenched and technical value remains high.
B60W · Hybrid/joint vehicle control
This branch covers onboard decision logic that acts on V2X messages — adaptive cruise, cooperative maneuvering, and fail-safe arbitration. Its share is substantially lower than H04W despite being a direct application layer for every V2X use case. Hyundai Motor is the most active filer here among the top applicants, but the field is sparsely populated relative to the wireless layer. An entrant with expertise in functional safety (ISO 26262) or AUTOSAR architecture could establish differentiated positions without competing head-on with the telecom incumbents.
Search this in Eureka →G08G · Traffic control systems
Infrastructure-side traffic management — signal phase and timing (SPaT) broadcast, intersection conflict detection, and cooperative intersection protocols — sits at a relatively lower share of the corpus despite being a mandatory component of V2I deployments. Qualcomm and Ford are the most active applicants here among the top ten, but the branch remains sparsely covered compared with air-interface IP. Smart-city technology providers or road-infrastructure vendors could find defensible space in standardized SPaT and MAP message processing, particularly as urban V2I mandates advance in the US and EU.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H04W 4 · Wireless communication networks | H04W 72 · Wireless communication networks | H04W 76 · Wireless communication networks | H04W 92 · Wireless communication networks | G08G 1 · Traffic control systems |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG Electronics Inc. | Strong · 1,535 | Strong · 978 | Moderate · 446 | Moderate · 585 | Emerging · 52 |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | Strong · 694 | Moderate · 173 | Emerging · 80 | Emerging · 27 | Emerging · 121 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 440 | Strong · 225 | Moderate · 187 | Moderate · 110 | Absent |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Strong · 419 | Moderate · 134 | Emerging · 77 | Emerging · 29 | Absent |
| Intel Corporation | Strong · 153 | Moderate · 55 | Emerging · 24 | Emerging · 15 | Absent |
| Apple Inc. | Strong · 121 | Moderate · 50 | Moderate · 31 | Emerging · 20 | Absent |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Strong · 102 | Moderate · 35 | Moderate · 23 | Absent | Moderate · 21 |
Frequently asked questions
The analysis covers 6,845 patent families in scope. This represents global filings identified across all major patent offices, with the United States being the leading jurisdiction by record count.
LG Electronics holds the largest position with 1,549 patent families, more than double the second-ranked applicant, Qualcomm, which holds 747 patent families. This gap makes LG Electronics’ lead structurally significant rather than marginal.
Annual filings peaked in 2020 at 1,377 records, up from 531 in 2017. The surge was driven primarily by 5G NR-V2X standardization work under 3GPP Release 16 and 17, which prompted intensive protocol-layer IP filing by telecommunications companies and chipset vendors.
Not necessarily. Patent applications typically take 18–24 months from filing to public publication, meaning that 2023–2025 figures are structurally under-counted in this dataset. The observed drop in those years reflects publication lag and should not be interpreted as a withdrawal of R&D activity.
The United States leads all jurisdictions by record count, followed by Europe via the EPO and then China. WIPO PCT filings and India represent meaningful secondary markets. South Korea, despite hosting LG Electronics and Samsung among the top applicants, ranks sixth, indicating that those filers prioritize US and EPO protection first.
B60W (Hybrid/joint vehicle control) and G08G (Traffic control systems) are the two most technically relevant adjacent branches with comparatively lower filing density relative to the dominant H04W wireless protocol core. Both are direct application layers for V2X deployment and are areas where entrants with automotive systems or smart-city expertise could build IP positions without competing directly against the entrenched telecom incumbents.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.