Innovation and Mobility: Patents, Progress, and Policy in Spain
Supersonic trains, safety enhancing drones, advanced sustainable fuels, and intelligent road systems illustrate how innovation is accelerating mobility. Digitalisation and sustainability are advancing rapidly, sometimes outpacing regulation. Yet not every bold idea is protected effectively. In 2021, Spain recorded 177 requests for industrial patents. That figure represents 0.14% of the 126,000 registrations logged worldwide. Within Europe, Spain sits above only Portugal and Greece in patent activity, while countries like Germany report thousands more. Isabel Marco, head of innovation projects at PONS IP, notes that Spain is a country with considerable talent, but the protection of that talent is often inadequate due to gaps in recognizing the need for robust intellectual property protection. The insights come from the Technological Mobility Map 2023, created with support from PONS Mobility, the Madrid IPR Helpdesk, and the Community of Madrid.
On the global stage of technological leadership, China accounts for about 69 percent of all industrial patents, followed by Japan and the United States. Europe remains a leader in automotive R&D investments, spending 62.6 billion euros. This landscape highlights the relatively modest patent activity in Spain as exemplified by Zeleros Hyperloop, a company pursuing supersonic transport concepts. Luz Smith Rodríguez, the firm’s Director of Standards and Regulations, reports seven patents to date, two of them in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with four granted and the remainder pending. These figures underscore a broader trend: the protective framework for industrial property is not always aligned with the pace of technological development.
The numbers reflect a broader issue: underestimating the value of patent protection and a lack of priority given to industrial property within many firms. Maria Jose de Concepción, director of patents and technological information at the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, describes a culture gap: there is not a strong industrial intellectual property culture in Spain. The mobility sector remains a relatively isolated example. The automotive industry still ranks among the top sectors for innovation, with a 6.5 percent share among the leading players, including significant contributions from Honda and Toyota, and a view that industrial property must be an intrinsic element of innovation rather than an afterthought.
New technologies
Innovation is reshaping the entire mobility ecosystem. While many patents address green hydrogen applications, there is growing interest in autonomous vehicles, shared or subscription-based mobility models, and electric driving. Luis Ignacio de Vicente, strategic adviser to PONS IP, observes that vehicles are becoming software platforms, prompting a shift in how intellectual property is protected. Technologies such as LIDAR are instrumental for advancing autonomous driving and for sensing the environment. The industry is also considering the creation of patent pools to manage licensing for connected vehicles, including 5G, Bluetooth, and other communications technologies. De Vicente also notes that patent disputes have begun to surface in Europe as vehicle manufacturers navigate licensing and payment obligations.
A key takeaway is that data will underpin future transportation systems. Rocío Báguena, director of the transport studies and technologies division within the General Secretariat for Transport and Mobility, emphasizes that today’s work will feed into a much larger mobility data ecosystem. Spain could position itself more strongly in global rankings of innovation in this field if policy and corporate strategy align with its existing strengths, including rolling stock expertise and international rail projects focused on high-speed services and sustainable fuels for multiple transport modes.
There is still a challenge on the electrification front. The deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure needs acceleration. By the end of 2022, only around 21 percent of charging infrastructure operated at power levels above 22 kW, implying longer charging times. Experts caution that battery technology and charging networks must advance to support a fleet of 10 million electric vehicles. The conversation now moves beyond individual vehicle technology to integrating diverse information sources within cars, managing lithium battery requirements, and guiding transportation within urban environments. Ana Gómez Arche, chief executive of PONS Mobility, urges patience as new technologies often outpace regulatory updates. The path forward calls for coordinated efforts among industry, regulators, and researchers to translate rapid innovation into practical, high-impact mobility solutions.