Elon Musk just made all the patents held by Tesla Motors open source, paving the way for more innovation in the electric car market. It’s great news for anyone looking to build an electric car, and even for anyone hoping to someday buy one. The real question here is, “Why?”
In a blog post on the Tesla site, Musk explained:
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.
So go forth, innovators and innovate—quickly if you could. I’m writing this blog post from the service department waiting room of a car dealership that’s currently fixing my gasoline-burning nightmare car for the thousandth (estimated) time this year. It would be great if the next car I buy is an affordable electric one with fewer moving parts to break.
Need some inspiration? Here’s They Might Be Giants’ “Electric Car” to bop along to while you work.
(Tesla Motors via Russell Jones, image via Maurizio Pesce)
- Musk also showed off SpaceX’s amazing new Dragon V2 spaceship
- Give yourself the musk of Elon Musk
- Here’s another awesome rocket test from SpaceX
