Honda and Nissan are preparing the standardization of components to reduce costs and accelerate vehicle development.

Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have entered the final phase of discussions for the standardization of electronic control units (ECUs) intended for future generations of vehicles, with the aim of reducing costs through the joint development of technology.

These discussions are taking place after the abandonment, in February 2025, of plans for a merger by establishing a holding company. Mitsubishi Motors Corp, in which Nissan holds a stake, will participate in the initiative and will benefit from standardized components. Honda and Nissan are analyzing the specifications of the parts and hope to reach an agreement this summer, with the aim of installing these components in vehicles around the year 2029.

New models will be software-defined vehicles (SDVs), capable of updating software online and adding features, including autonomous driving.

In the face of competition from China and the USA, Japanese manufacturers want to improve cost competitiveness by using standardized common components.