Honda to join Toyota, Nissan to build telematics SW

TOKYO: Honda Motor Co. Ltd. will likely join Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. in developing an international standard for software that operates a car's electronic systems, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.

The business daily said Japan's third-biggest auto maker would apply for a membership in a non-profit entity called JASPAR (Japan Automotive Software Platform and Architecture), which was established last month by Toyota's two group companies.

Toyota and Nissan are already members of JASPAR.

Honda officials were not immediately available for comment.

Toyota and Nissan have said the tie-up would allow them to spend less on developing and improving the base software needed to run the electronic systems, comparable to a computer's operating system, and more on actual electronic products such as power windows and cruise control systems.

Electronics have long since replaced the mechanics in a car's braking and steering, and are expected to be used more as auto makers build cleaner and safer cars with gadgets such as cruise control and lane keeping systems.

The three firms will aim to establish an international standard for the software through JASPAR and to pitch it to its European counterpart, Automotive Open System Architecture (Autosar), the paper said.