TOKYO — The history of the auto industry has been one of ever-shifting alliances in pursuit of scale: Toyota Motor joining and later parting with General Motors, Mazda Motor doing the same with Ford Motor, and even Renault and Nissan Motor, once seen as exemplary partners but now looking to renegotiate their arrangement.
The joint venture between Sony Group and Honda Motor is something entirely different, a cross-industry tie-up that reflects the changing rules of the game.