ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ

Volkswagen was the automaker spending the most on research and development in 2023, with expenses reaching nearly *** billion euros that year. The manufacturer also recorded a high research and development intensity, with its expenses amounting to around *** percent of its sales revenue. In contrast, Hyundai Motor recorded the lowest R&D intensity of the automakers surveyed, only spending *** percent of its sales on research expenses. 

Automotive R&D spending within the global R&D expenditure

Research and development spending has been steadily increasing since 1996, and is forecast to reach nearly *** trillion purchasing power parity U.S. dollars worldwide in 2022. The United States, China, Japan, and Germany were the countries contributing the most to this expenditure, with the U.S. expected to spend some billion U.S. dollars in R&D expenses that same year. Automotive research and development spending was projected to reach some *** billion U.S. dollars in 2022, spearheaded by U.S. investments. Manufacturers' increased focus on electric vehicles, connected vehicles, and autonomous vehicles contributes to this steady R&D expenditure.

Electric vehicles as vectors for innovation

Amid stricker transport emission goals set by some governments, automakers have increased ther commitment to produce and sell more electric vehicles. This process of electrification has led to a growth in the volume of available EV models worldwide, with the offer more than doubling between 2017 and 2021. Electric vehicle patent filing has also been steadily increasing, while the number of fossil fuel vehicle patents filed had been dropping since 2016/17. In 2020, motor vehicle and parts recorded the second-largest share of green patent filings worldwide. This commitment to research and development in sustainable transportation has boosted manufacturers' R&D spending throughout 2022.