Honda and Nissan to develop software for cars

Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced a collaboration to develop a joint software and hardware platform for future vehicles. The goal is to create a unified architecture that will not only provide updates and new features via subscription, but also standardize key elements such as semiconductors and electric motors, which will significantly reduce costs.

What is known

Earlier this year, plans to merge the companies fell through, but instead the brands chose a more pragmatic path – joint work in the field of software. According to Nikkei Asia, Honda and Nissan engineers have been jointly developing a multimedia and software platform since August 2024, which will form the basis of new models by the end of the decade. In addition to software, the unification of the hardware base is planned – from chips to electric motors.

Creating their own software will give manufacturers full control over the ecosystem and access to vehicle operation data, unlike third-party solutions that limit information sharing. This is especially important in the era of software-centric vehicles.

Financial and strategic aspects

The project requires significant investment – they can exceed $ 10 billion. However, in the long term, the companies expect to offset the costs by selling new features and updates after the purchase of the car.

Currently, Honda and Nissan continue to develop separate software platforms that will be released in 2025. In the future, they plan to combine them under a single architecture, maintaining a unique user interface design for each brand.

This step is due to increased competition with Chinese manufacturers, who already offer advanced digital solutions even in budget segments. Japanese companies are striving to create flexible and intelligent platforms that meet modern user expectations.