Tesla Motors Open Sources its Patents

The following was submitted by ECW reader Alain Samoun.This week Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors posted a dramatic statement regarding his company’s patent policy on his company blog.

Here are couple of  key excerpts from Musk’s post:

“Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal. Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology. .  .

“Technology leadership is not defined by patents, which history has repeatedly shown to be small protection indeed against a determined competitor, but rather by the ability of a company to attract and motivate the world’s most talented engineers. We believe that applying the open source philosophy to our patents will strengthen rather than diminish Tesla’s position in this regard.”

This is a big deal, because it is a first, to my knowledge, for a manufacturer company, and also because it concerns a large number of new and current patents,look at the list — about 250 patents concerning electric vehicle, electric Tesla engines and batteries.

I wish that other companies will do the same,especially if they are involved with new energy like LENR . In my opinion it is the best way to accelerate innovations.

Alain Samoun