Tokyo, Oct. 19 (Jiji Press)–Subaru Corp. plans to launch a software-defined vehicle, or SDV, which can improve performance through software updates, in the latter half of the 2020s, using a new electronic control unit to integrate vehicle controls and driver-assistance functions, according to company officials. “We want to make SDVs convenient to use, rather than pack them with extremely advanced features,” Eiji Shibata, managing executive officer of the Japanese automaker, said at a development strategy briefing in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan. Shibata said the company aims to promote wider adoption by offering the vehicle at an affordable price. Subaru jointly developed the semiconductor at the heart of the new ECU with U.S.-headquartered chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The automaker aims to keep costs down by optimizing the system’s functions. The company also plans to cut vehicle development time by about 40 pct through the use of digital technologies, including simulations. Competition over SDVs is intensifying, with Tesla Inc. of the United States and Chinese automakers ahead of the curve. Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. plans to introduce the technology across its entire lineup by 2030. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
