Japanese automaker Subaru has announced a sweeping operational shift aimed at deploying software-defined vehicles in the second half of this decade. Alongside the upcoming vehicle architecture, the company intends to slash its vehicle development times by approximately 40% to accelerate the speed at which new models reach the market.
Outline details of the strategy were shared during a briefing held at a research centre in Sano City, located north of Tokyo. To achieve its timeline and efficiency goals, Subaru will progressively roll out a newly developed integrated electronic control unit across its entire vehicle lineup.
Development times will be compressed by leveraging digital simulations during the prototyping stage. Furthermore, the automaker plans to run design, testing, and production preparation processes in parallel rather than sequentially, according to company statements.
The upcoming software-defined vehicles are designed to receive over-the-air updates. These remote updates will encompass functionality upgrades for driver-assistance systems, automated-driving features, and general vehicle performance metrics.
At the core of the newly designed integrated electronic control unit is a specialized chip developed jointly with U.S. semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices. In addition to the custom silicon, Subaru plans to standardize its electronic platforms universally across electric, hybrid, and gasoline-powered vehicle models.
Despite holding a 21% stake in Subaru, Toyota’s proprietary software platform, Arene, will not be adopted by the automaker at this time. Subaru confirmed it has no present plans to integrate the Arene platform, even as Toyota projects widespread deployment of its software in 10 million new vehicles annually by 2030, with expansion to alliance partners scheduled for 2035.
