, Columnist
China’s Look Beneath Toyota’s Hood Sets Uneasy Precedent
The Japanese carmaker’s decision to share its Prius technology with Beijing could force rivals to do the same.
Toyota has agreed to hand its Prius technology over to Beijing.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
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Watch out car companies, here comes the long arm of the Chinese state.
Toyota Motor Corp. is preparing to hand Beijing the technology behind the Prius, its almost-eponymous hybrid car, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. The move comes as Chinese officials push for bluer skies and cleaner vehicles, but it’s an aggressive overture for a company that had, until recently, a passive presence in the world’s biggest car market.