Toyota and Suzuki join hands to work on environment, safety, IT fields

About a week after rivalling two-wheeler manufacturers from Japan, Honda and Yamaha announced a collaboration to develop small capacity scooters, it is now the turn of Toyota and Suzuki. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) have announced that they will start exploring ideas directed towards a business partnership.

A joint press note states that the environment surrounding automotive industry has been changing drastically and rapidly in an unprecedented fashion. The industry is required to work on R&D for advanced and future technologies in the fields including environment, safety, and IT. In addition to the R&D that is conducted by individual companies, it is increasingly important to work together with other companies on areas such as infrastructure development, as well as the establishment of new industrial standards.

Suzuki and Toyota have joined hands when the former is increasingly feeling a sense of uncertainty, while the latter is conscious of the fact that it is behind competitors in North America and Europe when it comes to establishment of standardisations and partnership with other companies. With the collaboration, both the companies aim to help each other to solve their respective challenges.

Toyota and Suzuki also informed that the collaboration is open to other companies on the idea that aims for standardisation in the industry.

Toyota is the industry-leading, and the most reliable company which is actively working on various advanced and future technologies. I am appreciative that Suzuki is able to start discussions with Toyota to explore ideas on a partnership," said Osamu Suzuki, Chairman of Suzuki.

"As the environment which surrounds the automobile industry has been changing drastically, we need to have the ability to respond to changes in order to survive. In addition to the R&D which each company is working on individually, it is very important now to have partners who share the same goal and passion," added Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota.