robertlane Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/cont...index+page_news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblood Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 Someone please leave a comment correcting that moron where he claims that Ford uses Toyota's hybrid technology when it isn't true. And maybe also add how Toyota stole their hybrid tech from someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 From what I was told, Ford bought Toyota's "software", no hardware. Apparently both were working on similar systems. But Ford supposedly had issues with the shifting and behavior software. I guess the ride and transitions were harsh. The Toyota software fixed that. I was told this by someone who claims he works on the Toyota hybrids in the plant. So take it all with a grain of skepticism. But if it's true, the Ford didn't buy a whole lot in the grand scheme of the whole hybrid system. I'm hoping Toyota take a down turn in hybrid sales when they will be forced to change their MPG rating on the Pruis. I've heard NOBODY gets the claimed 50MPG. The real world riding puts the Toyota at the same or slightly less than the Fords. And with new Fusion, Zephyr, 500 hyrbids coming for sure, it'll only help Ford. Now if Ford actually pulls off a F150 hydraulic hybrid with the claimed 50MPG, Ford will be kicking all over the US-3 for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Kolman Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 (edited) Ford developed their own system, with the same suppliers as Toyota, and while in the final stages of tunign realized they were treading too close to Toyota's patents. So in order to avoid a legal fight they dropped their own development (before final tunning was done) and bought Toyota's system (actually Aisin and Toyota co-own the system). If was a matter of two companies independantly comming up the same solution to the same problem, and the one late to the party needing to pay the other. Not that Ford couldn't solve the final teathing issues, but the solution came too close to an existing system. Anyone if engineering would realise this happens all the time. Great mind thinking alike and all... Edited April 4, 2006 by Kris Kolman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 From what I understand the Ford system is entirely Ford's system. The patent sharing agreement was to avoid potential litigation, not to use their hardware/software. Ford's stated goal in developing the system was to grow their own expertise, to use Toyota's system would be counter productive. These types of agreements are not that unusual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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