Honda did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Honda CEO: Merger is not a Nissan rescue. Honda's shares had initially fallen when news first broke of the merger

The Japanese companies are considering joining forces to survive in a rapidly changing auto industry, but auto history is filled with troubled and failed marriages.

Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans for a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry that's in flux as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels.