Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced that they will jointly develop the basic software and ECUs that will serve as the foundation for SDVs. The announcement on 31 August signaled a policy of catching up after falling behind overseas rivals.
Nikkei reports that Honda and Nissan announced on 31 August that they will jointly develop the basic software and core ECUs underpinning software-defined vehicles. The companies position the initiative as the first step in their collaboration to promote the wider adoption of SDVs.
SDVs are vehicles whose functions can be enhanced through software after purchase, much like a smartphone. Citing Tesla in the United States as an example, the article explains that this concept is gaining ground. The jointly developed operating system and ECUs will be core components at the heart of SDVs.
According to people familiar with the matter, the collaboration is intended to improve the competitiveness of Japanese vehicles and is positioned as an opportunity to catch up after falling behind overseas rivals.