Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. have entered into an agreement to jointly develop standardized multiple vehicle electronic control units for next-generation software-defined vehicles. The companies plan to use the jointly developed electrical/electronic architecture and software in their next-generation SDVs in fiscal year 2029 and beyond.
The agreement includes the development of an in-vehicle operating system and key parts of middleware and vehicle control software. This collaboration is expected to strengthen the companies’ competitiveness through faster development cycles and more efficient investments.
The companies will work to establish common specifications for multi-core vehicle ECUs within the E/E architectures. By standardizing these core vehicle sub-systems, Honda and Nissan aim to leverage their combined engineering expertise and development resources to accelerate innovation and reduce vehicle development costs.
They conducted extensive studies on potential collaboration in the vehicle software domain, which led to the agreement, after first announcing plans for a strategic collaboration in March 2024.
In December 2024, Honda and Nissan signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a potential merger that would have also included Mitsubishi. However, in February 2025, the companies officially canceled all merger plans, but agreed to work together on a strategic partnership that includes electric vehicles and AI.
The partnership is not unique in the industry, as other collaborations on the development of advanced SDV platforms with high-performance compute and AI capabilities have been announced. For example, Stellantis unveiled its new STLA One standardized vehicle platform in May, which the automaker plans to utilize for over 30 models totaling 2 million units by 2035.
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Nissan’s new long-term strategic vision, dubbed “Mobility Intelligence for Everyday Life,” focuses on launching AI-defined vehicles with new electrified powertrains along with a reduced product portfolio. Nissan’s collaboration with Honda is expected to support this vision.
The agreement between Honda and Nissan also includes future collaboration opportunities across a range of areas, including the software domain of SDVs. They believe that this domain is key for vehicle intelligence and electrification, and they aim to work together to accelerate innovation and boost competitiveness.
By working together, Honda and Nissan can leverage their combined resources and expertise to develop more efficient and effective vehicle systems. This collaboration is expected to have a positive impact on the companies’ competitiveness and ability to innovate in the rapidly changing automotive industry.
Collaborations like the one between Honda and Nissan are likely to become more common as the automotive industry continues to evolve.
The development of standardized vehicle hardware and software is expected to play a key role in this evolution, enabling companies to accelerate innovation and reduce costs.
