J.S. Held Releases 2026 Autonomous Vehicle Industry Report Highlighting IP as the Next Competitive Frontier

New report explores how innovation, regulation, and IP strategy are shaping the future of autonomous mobility.

NEW YORK, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global consulting firm J.S. Held today announced the release of its 2026 Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Industry Report. Developed by Ocean Tomo, a part of J.S. Held, the report offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolving AV landscape through the lens of innovation, investment, and intellectual property (IP).

"Despite extended deployment timelines, the economic opportunity in autonomous vehicles remains transformative," said Dan Principe, Director and Chair of the Industry Analyst Review Committee at Ocean Tomo. "What we're seeing now is a shift from pure R&D to commercialization, where IP strategy is no longer optional—it's existential."

The report reveals that while early forecasts predicted widespread Level 3+ AV deployment by the mid-2020s, the market is now expected to center around L2+ vehicles by 2035. Yet, the global AV market is still projected to grow from $24 billion in 2021 to $62 billion in 2026, with passenger vehicles alone forecasted to generate $300–400 billion in revenue by 2035.

Tatiana Feka, Industry Analyst at Ocean Tomo, emphasized the strategic importance of IP in this maturing sector: "The industry is moving past its initial life cycle stage. Between 2022–2024, we saw the first decrease in total innovation filings, signifying market maturation and a shift from pure R&D to commercialization strategies. This makes IP positioning even more critical."

The report also highlights the growing complexity of the legal landscape, with cross-industry IP conflicts expected to rise as AV systems increasingly integrate telecom, cloud, AI, and mobility technologies. Companies are adopting more proactive legal strategies, including pre-emptive patent filings and trade secret protections, to safeguard their innovations. "As both established players and new entrants deepen their AV technology investments, trade secret enforcement has become an essential component of IP strategy," adds Senior Managing Director John A. Hudson.

Key findings from the report include:

• The U.S. leads global AV patent filings with 135,828, followed closely by China with 132,844.
• The robotaxi rideshare market is projected to grow at a 90% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.
• Waymo now delivers over 450,000 driverless rides per week, with continued expansion into new U.S. cities.
• NVIDIA's DRIVETHOR chip delivers 20x the processing power of its predecessor, accelerating real-time AV data processing.

The 2026 AV Industry Report is now available for download here: Download Autonomous Vehicles Report - Ocean T.omo.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Kristi Stathis | J.S. Held | kristi.stathis@jsheld.com | +1 786 833 4864

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations.

More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 84% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 75% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (90% of the NAIC top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 71% of the Fortune 100 Companies.

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J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB or Ocean Tomo Investments, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.

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