Norihiko Shirouzo & Jathon Sapsford:

A battle for power and influence is under way in the auto industry, as the basic technology under the hoods of mass-market cars goes up for grabs for the first time in nearly a century.
Amid soaring gasoline prices, car makers are rushing to use hybrid engines, which boost fuel efficiency by combining a traditional gasoline motor with an electric one. The result is a race among the world’s automotive giants that — like the VHS vs. Betamax brawl in the early days of videocassettes — could redraw the industry’s hierarchy and system of alliances for years to come.