Nissan and Renault this week reached agreement on a deal that will allow their alliance to continue after several years of mounting tension that threatened their relationship.
At almost the same time, Toyota, the world’s second largest car manufacturer, announced a change of guard with Akio Toyoda stepping down as president to be replaced by Koji Sato, chief branding officer and head of its Lexus unit.
These two events are best understood as responses to a transformation of the entire auto industry. Nissan and Toyota are playing catch-up as the most basic elements of auto manufacturing — what is being made and how — evolve in response to demands for greener vehicles and the relationships forged in an increasingly digital production environment.