Ford Joins Nissan Will Use Toyota Hybrid System Technology

TOKYO, March 9, 2004; Reuters reported that Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday that it had concluded licensing agreements with Ford Motor Co covering the use of its hybrid system and emissions purification technology.

Under the agreements, Toyota's hybrid system control technology, among other technologies patented by the company as a result of its development of hybrid systems, can be used in Ford's own hybrid system, which is still being developed.

"We have said that environmentally friendly technologies should not be owned by a single company," a Toyota spokeswoman said.

Toyota signed a similar licensing agreement with Nissan Motor Co in Septebmer 2002.