Toyota 2008 Annual Report Download - page 65

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•Annual Report 2008 • TOYOTA
»R&D Expenditures
In fiscal 2008, R&D expenditures totaled ¥958.8 billion, up
7.6% from the previous fiscal year, representing 3.6% of
consolidated net revenues. Investment in R&D has been
at a high level in recent years because we have been
aggressively engaged in forward-looking and leading-edge
technology development. Moving forward amid intensifying
technological competition on a global scale, we will
continue to maintain a high level of R&D investment
to maintain our competitive advantage in technology
and products.
»R&D Organization
In Japan, R&D efforts are led by Toyota Central Research &
Development Laboratories, Inc., which works closely with a
range of Toyota Group companies that includes Daihatsu
Motor Co., Ltd., Hino Motors, Ltd., Toyota Auto Body Co.,
Ltd., and Kanto Auto Works, Ltd.
Overseas, technical centers in North America, Europe,
Asia, and Oceania, as well as a range of design and
motorsports R&D centers around the world, give us strong
global R&D capabilities that enable us to build cars that
better meet the needs of customers in each region.
Note: See page 64 for details.
»Intellectual Property Activities
Toyota’s competitiveness springs from the forward-looking
R&D stance that drives its product and technology
strengths. Underlying each new product to emerge from
R&D, there are always intellectual properties such as
inventions and expertise that we value as important
management resources.
»Intellectual Property Systems
R&D and intellectual property activities are organizationally
linked to enable us to focus on selected development
themes and build a strong patent portfolio. We have also
established an Intellectual Property Committee made up of
management, R&D, and intellectual property to secure and
utilize important intellectual property that contributes to
management, or that deliberate response policies to
management risks related to intellectual property.
»Intellectual Property Strategies
Toyota carefully analyzes the patent situation in each area of
research to formulate more effective R&D strategies. We
identify R&D projects in which Toyota should acquire
patents, and file relevant applications as necessary to help
build a strong global patent portfolio.
In addition, we want to contribute to sustainable
mobility by promoting the spread of technologies with
environmental and safety benefits, and as such, we take an
open stance to patent licensing, and grant licenses when
appropriate terms are met. A good example of this policy
can be seen in the area of hybrid technology, one of our
core technologies related to environmental energy,
where we have licensed hybrid-related patents to
other companies.
Intellectual Property Guiding Principle
•Through appropriate acquisition and utilization
of intellectual property, our goal is to secure
greater corporate flexibility and to maximize
corporate value.
Performance Messages from the Management &
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