Toyota Motor Corp. is in talks with Mazda Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. to form an alliance on an onboard information service network, a Toyota official said Friday.
Toyota plans to provide the two automakers with technological expertise on its G-Book onboard information service in a deal similar to the one reached with Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. earlier this year, the official said.
The move comes as Nissan Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. have formed an alliance over a similar service, which provides information via onboard terminals such as news and maps as well as automobile locations in case of traffic accidents and other emergencies.
Toyota plans to expand the number of its models compatible with the G-Book service to about 50 by the end of this year with an eye to making it an industrywide standard.
Mazda and Mitsubishi are looking for cost effectiveness with a tieup with the industry leader, industry analysts said.