Avanci has announced the launch of its 5G automotive licensing programme, which promises to help the auto industry to develop the next generation of connected vehicles by ensuring that this technology can be shared efficiently and affordably.
5G connectivity will deliver significant value to the automotive sector, building on the use of previous standards in connected vehicles. This program, part of Avanci’s new 5G IoT platform, will enable patent owners and IoT and automotive companies to share 5G standard essential wireless patents in a single licence.
The 5G platform builds on the success of the Avanci marketplace, which transformed the licensing landscape by licencing the vast majority of the 2G, 3G, and 4G cellular essential patents in a single agreement at fixed, fair and transparent rates. Avanci is now the go-to global licencing platform for connected vehicles and other IoT devices, spanning 38 patent owners and with 14 automotive brands as licensees.
The 5G automotive program was reviewed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) Antitrust Division. In its Business Review Letter, published on 28 July 2020, Makan Delrahim, assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division of the DoJ, said: “In sum, the proposed 5G Platform has the potential to yield efficiencies by reducing transaction costs and streamlining licensing for connected vehicles. Together these efficiencies may allow cellular standards-essential patent owners and vehicle manufacturers to focus resources elsewhere, such as investment in further research and development in emerging 5G technologies and applications. This possibility could enhance competition in these technologies, improve safety, and benefit American consumers.”
Kasim Alfalahi, founder and CEO of Avanci, says: “Through our one-stop Avanci marketplace we have licensed the vast majority of cellular standard-essential patents to millions of connected vehicles. 5G will power the IoT to expand to many new categories of connected products. As we begin operating our first 5G licensing program for connected vehicles, we will continue to transform how patent licensing is done.”
Avanci will now begin discussions with IoT device manufacturers, the auto industry and patent owners about streamlining the patent licensing process for 5G connected devices, as it has done for the previous technologies.
