TOKYO -- As new technology shakes up the auto industry, Japan's midtier suppliers are breaking out of traditional alliances and joining to secure the resources and market share necessary to survive in a high-tech era.
Makers of conventional auto parts are being forced to adapt to the rise of connected, autonomous, shared and electric vehicles -- known by the acronym CASE -- even as revenue from their mainstay products dwindles. The merger of Hitachi and Honda Motor suppliers represents a new possible solution for Japan's players, which until now have remained loyal to their keiretsu -- a group of closely-knit suppliers dedicated to one specific automaker.
