To crack the code of building low-cost electric vehicles, Japan's automakers intend to leverage their skills at tried-and-true lean manufacturing and kaizen.

Japan's automakers are stoking R&D investment to meet mounting demand for a staggering array of technologies. Toyota by far outpaces the pack.

Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida talks with Automotive News about electrification plans, autonomous driving, the brand's road to recovery in the U.S. and Nissan's relations with partner Renault.

Nissan's move is part of a push to equip nearly every new model with lidar safety technology by the end of the decade. It lets vehicles conduct high-speed emergency maneuvers on the highway without a hand on the wheel or foot on the brake.

The Corolla Cross H2 Concept is just one of many advancements in hydrogen combustion that Toyota rolled out at Fuji Speedway. Toyota is about 40 percent of the way toward commercializing its hydrogen combustion technology, a top executive says.