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ITU AI for Good Gets Bigger: Interview with Fred Werner

Mark your calendars!

United Nations Statistics Division

The upcoming 56th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, is set to take place from 4 to 7 March 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York City.

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The Future of Transportation

WIPO released a report, very optimistic.

Using AI and data available on government sites as a public good.

1. Growth in Transportation Patents:

- Over 1 million inventions related to future transportation have been patented since 2000, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% through 2023—more than double the global average for all patents.

- Future transportation patents have grown 700% over the past 20 years, from 15,000 inventions in 2003 to 120,000 in 2023, now representing 40% of all transportation patents.

2. Focus on Sustainability and Digitalization:

- The largest area of growth is in sustainable propulsion, including EV batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting cleaner transport.

- Land transport dominates, with over 906,000 inventions (82% of total), followed by air transport (132,000 inventions), while sea and space transport lag behind.

3. Global Leaders in Innovation:

- China leads in patenting activity, driven by its dominance in the EV market, but strong growth is also seen in Sweden, Italy, India, and Canada.

- The top five countries (China, Japan, the US, South Korea, and Germany) have generated nearly 1.05 million inventions since 2000.

4. Commercialization and Collaboration:

The report emphasizes the need for bold thinking and collaborative action to commercialize these inventions, shaping policies and standards to accelerate their global impact.

It aims to guide policymakers, businesses, and researchers in making informed investments and innovation strategies.

Broader Implications:

The transportation sector is critical to global economies, contributing 6-12% of GDP in many countries and accounting for 23% of energy-related carbon emissions.

The sector needs to transition to sustainable and interconnected transport systems to achieve net-zero emissions.

By combining AI-powered analysis with traditional patent data, the report serves as a bridge between cutting-edge research and practical application, offering insights into the transformative potential of future transportation technologies.

“And many of the industry experts that we speak to suggest that actually personal electric vehicle ownership is perhaps not the best model going forward, but actually you need to get electric vehicles in the high utilization fleets, so whether they are being used for, for taxis, for lorries, for busses, or for a different model of car ownership, where it's much more geared towards shared mobility and actually the rental market.” WIPO

Guest Post

By Chris Harrison, WIPO

Innovation and invention are often used interchangeably, but they're subtly different. Invention is the creation of something new, while innovation is the process of improving existing ideas or inventions. Radical game-changing inventions are rare, whereas innovation is constant but it takes time to develop and mature.Contrary to popular belief, electric vehicles are not a recent invention. Last week’s launch of the new World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO Technology Trends report on the Future of Transportation (https://lnkd.in/etqQxpUe) gave the perfect platform to highlight this. During our launch event exhibition, we juxtaposed a modern electric vehicle alongside Mathilde, one of the world’s oldest electric vehicles. Mathilde, built in 1912 by Tribelhorn AG, was an electric bus used to shuttle hotel guests to Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne, Switzerland. Mathilde proved to be a highlight of our launch event, kindly displayed at WIPO for the day by our good friends at Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, the Swiss Museum of Transport. Back in the early 20th century, electric vehicles competed in a three-way race with petrol and steam engines. At the time, manufacturers were still unsure as to the optimal engine solution for these new "automobiles" that were entering the market - the electric motor was simple, economical and avoided tedious start-up issues but it was heavy (Mathilde’s battery alone weighs 1000kg) and had limited range (Mathilde’s is only 20km); on the other hand, steam engines were efficient but complex to manage, and internal combustion engines had to be crank started and did not make the most of petrol’s energy potential. The internal combustion engine won that race and has been the backbone of the car industry for over 100 years.But we have seen a resurgence of EVs in the past 10 years, rising from 0.5% of global car sales in 2014 to over 20% in 2024. Why? The answer lies in innovation. Over the years, advancements in battery technology, charging infrastructure, and government incentives have made EVs more practical and affordable. For example, in 1990 an EV battery was US$6000 per kWh, now it’s less than US$150 per kWh. Additionally, public awareness of climate change increased demand for more sustainable transport options and the availability of charging stations powered by renewable energy now make this a reality.The story of the electric vehicle is a testament to the power of innovation. It's not always about inventing something new, but about continuously improving and adapting to changing circumstances. So, as we talk about this new WIPO report on the Future of Transportation and we consider the potential impact of autonomous cars, hyperloop, reusable rockets, hypersonic flight and smart ships, let's remember that innovation is a marathon, not a sprint.

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WIPO: Future of Transportation is Green | UN: Statistics Division Meets in New York | ITU: Interview with Fred Werner

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