Toyota exec invites competitors to environmental summit

Jim Press, the U.S. chief of Toyota, invited his competitors yesterday to a summit on environmental issues during a speech made in Traverse City, MI. He said the meeting should take place at a neutral location where automotive leaders could "leave our company name badges at the door". The purpose of the summit would be to discuss environmental issues such as CAFE standards and global warning in the hopes that the auto industry could agree on a vision for the future rather than waiting for U.S. regulators to step in and force change. Press later revealed that he had already spoken with companies and received positive feedback on the idea, although he declined to say from which companies. Besides Honda, Toyota has perhaps the greenest image of any automaker and its competitors might be eager to align themselves and perhaps learn something from the company that made hybrid technology mainstream.