Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan Motor are expected to reach an agreement as early as Monday to jointly develop a shared operating system and onboard computer for new automobiles, according to a report by the Nikkei newspaper.
The collaborative technology platform is targeted for implementation in new vehicles starting as early as 2029.
Responding to inquiries, Honda stated that no formal deal has been finalized yet. The automaker noted that it is currently discussing potential areas of collaboration with both Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors under their existing strategic partnership.
Earlier this month, Nissan’s CEO, Ivan Espinosa, acknowledged that the company was actively discussing possible areas of software collaboration with Honda.
This latest development follows merger talks between Nissan and Honda that ended more than a year ago, which had previously aimed to create a $60 billion car company.
Nissan did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside of regular business hours.
"As vehicle technology increasingly shifts toward software-defined architectures, development costs and technical complexities are rising significantly for traditional automakers. Strategic collaborations, such as the one being discussed between Honda and Nissan, highlight a pragmatic industry trend where competitors pool resources for foundational technologies like operating systems. For businesses and technology ventures operating in the connected vehicle ecosystem, partnerships of this scale indicate that standardisation and shared infrastructure will likely dictate future automotive innovation and market competitiveness." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
