Electric car company Tesla releasing all its patents to the public

US electric car company Tesla has just released all its patent technology in an attempt to promote and speed up the development of greener transport.

In a blog yesterday, the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, announced the move. Musk wrote: “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.” He explained that Tesla, famous for creating the world’s first electric sportscar, would not issue any patent lawsuits against anyone who used their technology in good faith, and accused patents of stifling progress. “Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters. That is no longer the case. They have been removed, in the spirit of the open source movement, for the advancement of electric vehicle technology.”

As Australian academic Damon Adams tweeted this morning: “This, is how you start a revolution.”

But although it’s a huge move, it’s not without its benefits to Tesla, who is building a factory to make its unique cylindrical batteries. “Even if other competitors copy Tesla’s design, Tesla still gets to sell them batteries, and that’s pretty awesome. Tesla’s decision isn’t entirely altruistic,” patent law expert Jacob Sherkow told the Los Angeles Times.

Source: Science alert (www.sciencealert.com.au)