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Toyota and Suzuki are looking at an R&D partnership because they admit they're behind

The Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Osamu Suzuki, and the President of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, have convened at Toyota's Tokyo offices to declare plans to join hands regarding research and development. According to Toyoda, Toyota "hasn't been good at creating alliances," and its partnership with the small carmaker Daihatsu has been the most well-known collaboration so far. Perhaps the comment has a tinge of regret from Toyota and GM's NUMMI days in Fremont, especially as the statement released by Toyota says that "Toyota is conscious of the fact that it may be behind competitors in North America and Europe when it comes to the establishment of standardizations and partnership with other companies." But as different technologies advance at breakneck speed and it is difficult for companies both big and small to stay competitive, let alone ahead of the game, Toyota is accepting the need for collaboration. Toyoda referred to passenger safety, environmental issues, automated driving, and hydrogen technology, all of which are key challenges for any carmaker looking to stay relevant, and all expensive to experiment with. Spreading the cost over more vehicles should help. "We received an offer from Suzuki regarding collaboration possibilities on advanced and future technologies such as in information technology. Suzuki made a frank proposal to us, and in understanding that Toyota is facing the challenges which I had mentioned earlier, we thought that with the relationship between both companies, there is an opportunity for a business partnership to help solve such challenges. As such, we decided to explore such possibilities together," said Toyoda. In the future, Daihatsu will still be Toyota's tool in emerging markets, but now Toyota could have access to Suzuki's small-car know-how. Osamu Suzuki acknowledges that "Suzuki's current business focuses on minivehicles in Japan and India," as Suzuki withdrew from the US and Canada in 2013. A joint effort will help Suzuki remain relevant, and as a manufacturer of predominantly small vehicles it has been focusing on competitive pricing more than cutting edge technology. Related Video:

Toyota ad says fuel cell cars are inevitable

Toyota's confidence in H2 technology remains as strong as ever. The company has released a new commercial that says it's not a matter of if we all start driving hydrogen cars, but when. In fact, the 70-second spot calls 2015 the turning point for the alternative powertrain technology. Here's a bit of the voiceover for the animated spot, which to our eyes and ears comes off as more than a little defensive: There will be the naysayers. The handbrakes, who say that it can't be done. that it's unsafe. That there's no infrastructure to support it. Then there'll be the trailblazers. The first to put up their hand, and put down their foot. The bold few, driven to be remembered as those who made a difference. And perhaps, the ones that made all the difference. In the end, Toyota says, we're all going to be driving hydrogen cars, starting perhaps with the company's first H2 sedan which will go on sale next year. But, if the early comments on the video's YouTube page are any indication, then Toyota's might be a bit lonely driving down the hydrogen highway. Watch the ad below, then vote in our poll below and let us know what you think of Toyota's approach. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mazda2 refreshed for 2020 with new style and tech

The North American market Toyota Yaris is a badge engineered version of the Mazda 2. Now, the Mazda underneath the Toyota badging has received some updates in its home market of Japan, and it will be interesting to see if or when the U.S. counterpart will be refreshed with any of these updates. The 2020 Mazda 2, now indeed called "Mazda 2" instead of the older Demio name on the Japanese market, has received new front end styling to bring it in line with bigger Mazda models. The grille and bumper are new, as are the headlights with adaptive LED technology and LED daytime running lights. Apparently the headlights are constructed out of 20 individually controlled LED blocks to optimize light output and direction, which sounds awfully interesting for this class of vehicle. The front end design, just like the new 16-inch alloy wheels, is Mazda-specific and the Yarisized version is unlikely to benefit from them, especially since the headlights are also different on the Toyota. Cabin materials have also been updated, and the driver’s seat is available with six-way power adjustability for 2020. The MZD Connect infotainment has Apple Carplay and Android Auto support, like the Yaris setup. In addition, cabin comfort is said to have been improved with better soundproofing, which is sometimes sorely needed in this class of cars. Safety and convenience features include adaptive cruise control, which is impressive on a city car, and the Mazda 2 also has the G-Vectoring Control Plus system for high-speed stability. Both the diesel and gasoline versions will get Mazda's i-Eloop brake energy regeneration system. The Japanese market also gets an all-wheel-drive version, which is surely a hoot despite only being available with the automatic transmission. CarAdvice says the Australian market will receive the redesigned Mazda 2 early next year, which is probably in line with the rest of the global market that gets it as a Mazda instead of a Toyota; Mazda says Japan market pre-orders have started today and official sales will begin on September 12th. It pays to remember that the base car dates back to 2014, and that the 2020 refresh is a facelift instead of a ground-up redesign. Assuming the usually expected shelf-life for the facelifted edition, the 2 will have racked up respectable mileage from the “DJ” generation bodyshell.