Honda and Nissan Motor have decided to jointly develop an operating system (OS) for next-generation vehicles, using Nissan’s existing OS as the foundation.
The move comes as automakers worldwide shift toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs), which can receive software updates over the internet, enabling new features such as autonomous driving capabilities to be added after purchase.
The OS serves as the vehicle’s central control system, coordinating various components and functions. Its performance is expected to influence factors such as usability and the overall driving experience.
Standardizing Key Components
As part of the project, the two automakers also plan to standardize electronic control units (ECUs), which manage vehicle functions based on instructions from the OS. The collaboration is a key part of their broader efforts to standardize vehicle components, with a formal agreement expected as early as August.
By accelerating development, Honda and Nissan aim to compete with leading US and Chinese manufacturers that are rapidly advancing automotive software and next-generation vehicle technologies.
While their broader collaboration had included a proposal for Nissan to produce Honda vehicles in the United States, the two companies will initially focus on developing software and technologies for future vehicles, which are expected to be critical to their long-term competitiveness.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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