Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda are considering using standardized automotive software and collaborating on electric vehicle (EV) charging, which could potentially lower their costs, according to a report by Nikkei on Thursday.
In March, Nissan and Honda announced that they were contemplating strategic cooperation in the production of EV components to secure a larger share of the global EV market, which is expected to grow in the coming years.
The Nikkei report stated that Japan's second- and third-largest automakers plan to jointly develop an operating system to control vehicles in order to reduce costs, though the sources of this information were not disclosed.
Nikkei also mentioned that Nissan and Honda might collaborate on charging infrastructure to enhance their competitiveness in the EV sector, with an expected cooperation in six areas.
Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida stated in March that they are open to collaboration in any region, both in Japan and overseas.
Nissan declined to comment on the Nikkei report but noted that the two companies are exploring various collaborations and will reveal detailed information at an appropriate time. Honda's representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Nissan launched the mass-market EV Leaf in 2010, and both Honda and Nissan face increasing competition in the global EV market, particularly from Tesla and Chinese and South Korean automakers.
