Hyundai Motor and Kia have joined OIN 2.0 as its first major Korean members, strengthening open-source patent protection for software-defined vehicles and next-generation mobility technologies.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have joined Open Invention Network (OIN) 2.0, becoming the first major Korean companies to support the open-source patent protection initiative. The move underscores the growing role of open source in software-defined vehicles (SDVs), connected car platforms, cloud services, robotics and other next-generation mobility technologies.
The companies said Linux and open-source technologies are becoming increasingly critical to future mobility solutions. Through participation in OIN 2.0, Hyundai Motor and Kia aim to promote open innovation, support patent non-aggression and reduce patent-related risks associated with open-source software.
Their membership places them alongside automotive industry leaders including Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota, highlighting the sector’s increasing reliance on open-source technologies.
“The pace of open source technology innovation continues to power the global economy. It has spawned new industries and technologies that run the gamut from AI and smartphones to search engines and mobile devices, and everything in between. We greatly appreciate automotive industry leaders Hyundai Motor and Kia joining OIN 2.0 and supporting patent non-aggression. Their participation signals the strategic value of open source,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network.
Launched in 2026, OIN 2.0 expands the organisation’s original patent risk mitigation model with continuously refreshed patent protection, broader technology coverage and a sustainable shared-funding framework. The initiative is designed to support open-source software as it expands across AI, automotive systems, cloud platforms, robotics and other emerging technology sectors.
Founded in 2005, OIN operates the world’s largest active patent cross-license community, with more than 4,100 member organisations collectively generating over US$10 trillion in annual revenue and holding more than three million patents and patent applications.
