In today's highly competitive world of automotive engineering, one needs to make partnerships with the competition in order to make it to the top. In that tradition a major Japanese auto maker and top German car company might be joining forces to share hybrid technology.

Toyota, the Japanese auto maker, has always been in the forefront with innovations in alternative energy and hybrid technology. Almost all Japanese auto makers share their work with other Japanese companies, but few head outside of those boarders to build partnerships.

It makes sense, Toyota has been the only company to successfully sell hybrid…