Automotive Industry
Honda, Nissan Consider Standardizing Control Units for Software-Defined Vehicles
Honda and Nissan hope to reduce R&D costs, speed time to market, and to take advantage of economies of scale.
Honda is among several automakers calling for renewal of the USMCA.
TOKYO—In an effort to reduce development costs, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are talking about standardizing the electronic control units (ECUs) that will be used in future software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The automakers could begin installing the units in vehicles as early as 2029.
Although a proposed merger between the two companies was scrapped, Honda and Nissan are seeking to strengthen their relationship jointly developing vehicle components.
SDVs are next-generation vehicles with software that can be updated over the internet, allowing manufacturers to improve performance and add features, such as autonomous-driving capabilities.
Honda and Nissan plan to jointly develop a central ECU that oversees the entire vehicle. They are also considering supplying the unit to Mitsubishi Motors Corp., in which Nissan holds a 26 percent stake, and exploring whether they can standardize the underlying software.
Conventional vehicles typically contain dozens of ECUs, each controlling a separate function, such as the engine or brakes. SDVs, by contrast, require a central ECU capable of handling frequent updates. Such systems are difficult to design and costly to develop.
By working together, Honda and Nissan hope to reduce R&D costs, speed time to market, and to take advantage of economies of scale.Looking for quick answers on assembly and manufacturing topics? Try Ask ASM, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ASM
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