Vehicle industry giants Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. said they will be working together to develop an advanced hybrid drivetrain system for light trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
The strategic move by both companies comes to improve fuel economy in larger vehicles long before federal fuel economy rules become more strict in 2017. What does this mean for owners of those cars? These new standards are expected to provide breakthroughs in motor fuel efficiency and create better hybrid gas-and-electric drivetrains for pickup trucks. This means your vehicle will be much more effective, much sooner.
Along with building new drivetrains, the companies will be combining efforts to develop telematics platform standards. Improving vehicle telematics, such as Ford’s Sync system, will increase driver awareness by reducing distraction and bring a wider variety of Internet-based services and useful information to consumers globally.
The companies have already signed a memorandum of understanding, and a formal agreement is expected next year. What do you think?
