The self-driving car joint venture of SoftBank Corp. and Toyota Motor will receive investment from a further five Japanese automakers, two sources familiar with the matter said, broadening backing for the all-Japan effort.

Mazda Motor Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp., Subaru Corp., Isuzu Motors and Toyota unit Daihatsu will each take a stake of a few per cent in the venture, the sources said.

With the move to autonomous driving and electric vehicles creating ructions across the industry and spawning once unlikely partnerships, the venture, Monet, which is developing an on-demand self-driving service platform, hopes to help Japan’s auto industry ride the shift.

(Reuters/NAN)