In an effort to stimulate the growth of the electric car sector, Tesla boss Elon Musk has indicated that he’s happy for other people to use his patented technology. What would be the most likely impact of this unconventional approach?
Of the 442 respondents who filled out last week’s poll, by dar the largest group, 47 per cent, thought that the opening up of Tesla’s IP would encourage more car companies to embrace electric technologies, and 21 per cent hought it would help reduce the company’s manufacturing costs. Just 14 per cent thought it would have little impact, while 8 per cent thought it would undermine Tesla’s business model; 10 per cent declined to pick an option.
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It would help bring down Tesla’s manufacturing costs by creating better economies of scale
This is not a new approach. The aviation pioneer, Santos Dumont, publicly stated that all his IP was available to all (although he did this by public disclosure and did not file patents). There are other examples of patent release.
One thing they all have in common is that the person responsible was already financially established. In the case of a small business or a lone inventor protection of IP is critically important and the patent system is critically lacking.
Simply gaining a patent gives almost no benefit unles the owner of the patent is in a position to defend it. Patent costs are viciously high for any level of proper coverage and patent timescales (20 years from the date of application) are hopelessly short if the patent relates to anything more than a tiny incremental improvement of an existing idea.
The entire system appears to be established for the self-preservation of the glorious careers of the various lawyers/attorneys/examiners absorbed within the patent industry. A major re-think along the lines of the copyright system is long overdue.
Technology these days is about implementation. Having the patent doesn’t usually help because they don’t usually have dimensions or component values in them
Excellent idea by Mr Elonn musk. Will encourage more players to be in the field ,as some technologies are available to them at low cost /no cost . The suppliers of these patented systems get the numbers and the prices will come down. A Real initiative that will help in environment sustainability. Next step green tech to produce electrical power and hope this will also be available for all
That it is a good idea, but … why? There are not enough arguments for justify this initiative. But, therefore is a good idea.
Another car manufacturer adds a windscreen wiper or a different color and then claims the patent as his own, blocking it for everyone else.
I picked ‘None of the Above’. Unless there is some other big advantage (and I have not seen any yet), other manufacturers will run away from Elon’s IP since it can no longer give them a competitive advantage.
Good move, Elon. Lets hope other manufs respond in like manner.
If I were a billionaire, I could also do that with my IP. But I am not, and I hold some of the best EV IP – lightweight, low cost low friction EV / City Car transmissions. Great design freedom.
You could do worse than take a look.
Actually, not transmission; complete driveline. Motor, transmission, suspension, rear axle – ~ half the weight of your existing.
& friction & cost savings.
I believe you asked for a sub 30,000 EV, Elon?
In my opinion this is a shooting-yourself-in-the-foot move as the success of this endeavour depends on the willingness of other players to share their patents as well.
Fundamentally, who ope-source software (albeit revolving around another form of IP) is successful, is because of the participants open-sourcing their products as well (notwithstanding the often legal recourse to making manufactures do so).
Tesla’s initiative may succeed if a similar arrangement is brought about in the patents space as well.
Using a proven system to establish a worldwide norm has got to be good news. How many times have you pulled into to refuel in a foreign land and found the pump nozzle will not fit the tank?
Didn’t Philips do the same thing with the tape cassette? Whether it’s a good idea depends on what you think about the old tape cassettes, since nobody bothered to improve on a freebee.
Mr.Musk has shaken the “BIG” guys who now rush to E cars.Bravo. The Chinese are doing the same and I see and end to IC cars by 2025,especially with the new Al/C batteries with ranges of 1000 km. What Mr.Musk must do is divert production abroad to bring down price to comfortable levels. My company investigates e car production in Pakistan and would welcome a TESLA license.