TOKYO – Nissan and Honda have reached an agreement to jointly develop vehicle computer components and software for cars expected to go on sale in fiscal 2029, the Japanese automakers said Monday.
The partnership will see Yokohama-based Nissan and Tokyo-based Honda share standardized parts for “core ECUs,” or electronic control units, along with related software systems.
The two companies began discussions in 2024 about cooperating on electric vehicles and advanced automotive intelligence technologies, areas that are becoming central to the future of the car industry.
Nissan is known for models including the Leaf electric car and Infiniti luxury vehicles, while Honda’s lineup includes the Accord sedan, Civic compact and Odyssey minivan.
Monday’s announcement did not name specific models or directly refer to EVs. Instead, the agreement centers on software-defined vehicles, a category that can include electric vehicles and relies on software to manage, update and expand vehicle functions rather than depending primarily on mechanical hardware.
Competition across the global auto industry is growing sharper as manufacturers race to develop technologies such as automated driving, zero-emission systems and connected-car platforms. Increasingly, modern vehicles resemble rolling computers filled with electronic components and complex software, moving far beyond the traditional image of fuel-hungry engines.
By sharing components and coordinating research, Nissan and Honda aim to lower costs, accelerate development and improve efficiency through economies of scale once the vehicles move into production.
The move mirrors efforts by major European automakers, including Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, which are collaborating on software development to support a shared operating system.
Both Nissan and Honda are overshadowed by Toyota Motor Corp., the top Japanese automaker, and working together could be a plus in competing against Toyota.
However, Toyota has been mentioned in the past as engaging in the software talks with Nissan and Honda, although it was not part of Monday’s announcement.
Toyota is working on software with other companies like Subaru, which is part of the Toyota group, and U.S. autonomous driving technology company Waymo.
As part of their strategic partnership, Nissan and Honda will continue to explore other opportunities for collaboration across a range of areas, including zero-emissions and decreasing traffic fatalities.
Both sides stressed that the use of intelligence and electrification technology is an important focus for working together.
“Recognizing the need to strengthen competitiveness through faster development cycles and more efficient investment, the two companies have conducted extensive studies on potential collaboration in the software domain,” they said in a statement.
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