September 4, 2026, 11:00 GMT | Insight
Avanci is in talks with additional automakers in China and elsewhere about joining its connected-car patent licensing programs, Laurie Fitzgerald, president of Avanci Vehicle, told MLex. The licensing administrator said this week it has reached 20 agreements with China-based automakers across its 4G and 5G programs, covering seven of the country’s 10 largest vehicle exporters.
Avanci is in talks with additional automakers in China and other markets about joining its connected-car patent licensing programs, a company executive said, after the licensing administrator revealed earlier this week that it has reached 20 agreements with China-based automakers across its 4G and 5G programs.
The agreements cover seven of China's 10 largest vehicle exporters by 2025 export volume, Avanci said in a Sept. 1
LinkedIn post.
"We are engaged in conversations with unlicensed automakers in China and around the world about the benefits that we can offer them and are optimistic that participation in our programs will continue to grow," Laurie Fitzgerald, president of Avanci Vehicle, told MLex.
More than 50 Chinese automotive brands are now covered by an Avanci license, while 12 China-based automakers participate in one or both of its vehicle programs, Fitzgerald said. Of those, 11 participate in the 4G program, and nine in 5G.
"Many automakers have joined Avanci's 5G Vehicle program prior to selling a single 5G connected vehicle," she said.
Avanci offers a licensing discount if a company gets a 5G license before its first sale of a 5G-connected vehicle. The cost is about $29 per vehicle if a company signs up early, and $32 per vehicle if it does not.
The company attributed the trend partly to the growing use of 4G, 5G and WiFi technology in vehicles, as well as the increasingly global reach of automakers. Connected vehicles now exchange data continuously with cloud platforms and other infrastructure, while manufacturers are exporting those vehicles into more markets, increasing the value of worldwide patent coverage.
Avanci said more than 175 automotive brands and over 325 million connected vehicles worldwide are covered by one of its licenses. Its vehicle programs include more than 90 licensors that the company says collectively hold the vast majority of patents essential to 4G and 5G standards.
While most of Avanci's recent agreements have involved China-based manufacturers, Fitzgerald said the company does not view the growth primarily as a China-specific development.
"It is true that most of our recently concluded agreements have been with China-based automakers, but we don't view this as a China story versus a Europe or US story," Fitzgerald said. "Just like telecom, automotive is a global industry, and Avanci Vehicle was built to provide an optional licensing solution that works globally."
Participation in the 5G program is increasing in China and elsewhere as more 5G-equipped vehicles enter the market, Fitzgerald said. The pace of 5G licensing will depend on individual automakers' "technology roadmaps" for their products, she said.
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