Japanese car makers to collaborate on fuel saving

According to one Japanese car maker, European carmakers are benefiting from going to tech start-ups and universities, besides collaborating among themselves more closely for propulsion related technologies. This approach not only helps the European carmakers quicker access and implementation of newer technologies, it also helps them execute these technologies in the real world more efficiently. Another benefit of this approach, of course is huge cost and resource savings. Tangible advantages of this approach can already be seen in implementation of technologies like autonomous driving, alternative propulsion tech and engine downsizing.

Now eight Japanese car makers are adopting the same approach. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu, Suzuki and Subaru have joined hands to set up an internal combustion engine research association. According to a report, these car makers are totally investing 500 million yen for this project excluding another 500 million yen subsidy the Japanese government is offering for the same project.

The project, as is the case in Europe, also includes universities and the aim is to achieve 30 per cent improvement in the fuel efficiency of traditional gasoline and diesel engines by the year 2020. Japan might be taking a cue from the European car maker handbook here, but an official from a Japanese auto maker very clearly stated that the European carmakers don’t currently have an advantage in terms of applied technology on the road, but they certainly have an advantage when it comes to development time, cost and effectiveness.