Honda and Nissan agree to share one electronic architecture from 2029

Honda and Nissan have turned the page on their failed merger talks with a new form of cooperation: a formal joint development agreement covering the electronics that will underpin their next generation of software-defined vehicles. The two automakers will draw up shared specifications for central processing modules, the automotive operating system, and the middleware that runs connectivity and driver-assistance functions across both marques.

The rationale is speed and cost. As cars grow ever more dependent on computing power, pooling engineering budgets should shorten development cycles and let the partners split the heavy investment needed to keep pace with Tesla's established setup and the rapid progress of Chinese manufacturers. Building shared components at unified scale is also expected to push unit costs down.

At the heart of the project are high-performance central computers built on SoC chips, paired with local controller modules that manage different zones of each vehicle. The common platform will handle battery management in electric and hybrid models, telemetry, and over-the-air software updates, and is intended to accelerate work on advanced driving aids and accident-prevention technology.

The new electrical-electronic architecture reaches series-production cars from both brands in 2029. Each company keeps its own driving calibration and visual interface on top of an identical data-processing base — an arrangement the pair hopes will set a competitive industry standard and keep their line-ups refreshable over the coming decade.