TOKYO, (Reuters) – Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda said on Monday they would jointly develop standardised electronic control units (ECUs) for software-defined vehicles (SDVs), deepening their collaboration on more advanced car technology.
The companies plan to introduce an architecture incorporating the jointly developed ECUs and software in next-generation vehicles from the 2029 financial year onwards, they said in a joint statement.
Software has become a key battleground for automakers as vehicles take on more autonomous-driving and connected functions. Carmakers are investing heavily in operating systems that support features ranging from driver assistance and entertainment to over-the-air updates, increasing development costs.
The move also reflects growing competitive pressure from Chinese automakers such as BYD , which have gained ground in markets including Europe and Southeast Asia with electric and hybrid cars packed with advanced software features.
The agreement stems from talks that began in 2024, when Honda and Nissan said they would jointly research next-generation software platforms. It comes more than a year after they abandoned merger talks that would have created the world’s fourth-largest automaker.
Honda and Nissan said they aim to establish common specifications for core ECUs within their vehicles’ electrical and electronic architecture, as well as operating systems and parts of the middleware and vehicle-control software.
Nissan’s alliance partner Mitsubishi Motors it was considering joining the collaboration and remained in discussions with the two automakers on potential areas of collaboration.
Reporting by Daniel Leussink. Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Mark Potter
