Honda Motor and Nissan Motor are expected to finalize a deal by August 31, 2026, to develop a shared operating system and onboard computer to be used in new vehicles as early as 2029 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The collaboration is part of a strategic partnership that also includes Mitsubishi Motors.
Honda confirmed it is discussing "potential areas of collaboration" with Nissan and Mitsubishi, but emphasized that no deal has been finalized yet [1]. Nissan echoed this, saying the company is "exploring various possibilities" and will provide details when available [1]. Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa publicly acknowledged in early August 2026 that discussions on software collaboration with Honda are ongoing and active [1, 2].
This potential partnership on vehicle software comes more than a year after Nissan and Honda called off merger talks that would have created a combined automaker valued at around US$60 billion (RM242 billion) [1, 2]. Despite scrapping the proposed merger, the companies appear focused on working together in key technology areas.
The shared operating system and onboard computer are expected to be integrated into new Honda and Nissan vehicles starting in 2029, aiming to provide common software architecture across models [1, 2, 3, 4]. Such collaboration on software is seen as critical for future mobility and efficiency.
The current deadline for agreement is August 31, 2026. Both companies have committed to announcing further details once the deal is completed [1, 2].
