Key facts
- Honda and Nissan will jointly develop core ECUs, operating systems, and middleware for next-generation software-defined vehicles.
- Applied Intuition, a US AI startup, will provide core technologies and development tools for these vehicles.
- The new E/E architecture is slated for application in vehicles from fiscal year 2029.
- The collaboration aims to improve R&D speed, reduce development costs, and increase economies of scale.
- The partnership focuses on the software domain, crucial for vehicle intelligence and electrification.
U.S.-based artificial intelligence startup Applied Intuition has formed separate partnerships with Honda Motor and Nissan Motor to provide core technologies for the development of their next-generation software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
Honda and Nissan have entered into a joint development agreement to standardize multiple electronic control units (ECUs), the in-vehicle operating system, middleware, and vehicle control software that run on these ECUs. The E/E architecture incorporating these jointly developed components is planned for application in both companies' next-generation SDVs from fiscal year 2029 onward.
The collaboration aims to strengthen competitiveness through improved R&D speed and investment efficiency by standardizing foundational technologies. This approach is expected to leverage combined engineering expertise and development resources to enhance efficiency, accelerate innovation, reduce development costs, and achieve greater economies of scale.
The scope of the agreement could impact various aspects of vehicle operation, from the electrical/electronic architecture to powertrain and EV battery control, as well as infotainment systems. The partnership is seen as a significant step for the two automakers in the crucial software domain for vehicle intelligence and electrification.