While CES 2025 is known best for the cool new gadgets and gear announced, another huge aspect to the show is the latest in automotive vehicles and technology.
The largest trend happening this year at the world’s largest consumer tradeshow was software defined vehicles (SDVs), or a vehicle where the core functions and features are managed through software, rather than hardware.
Whereas traditional vehicles use semiconductors and electronic control units (ECUs) for control, SDVs rely on cloud connectivity and embedded software. This allows vehicles to:
- Improve performance
- Fix issues over-the-air
- Personalize vehicles
- Access AI and machine learning
Here’s a roundup of some of the deals made during the show.
NXP acquires TTTech Auto
NXP Semiconductors signed an agreement to acquire TTTech Auto in a $625 million transaction.
The deal will include the management team, IP, assets and about 1,000 engineering staff that will join NXP’s automotive team. NXP said the combination of technologies will add to its own software-defined vehicle (SDV) portfolio with increased interconnected hardware and software systems.
Source: NXP
Honda and Renesas
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and Renesas Electronics Corp. signed an agreement to further develop SDVs using a new system-on-chip (SoC) that the companies will collaborate on.
The SoC will deliver AI performance of 2,000 tera operations per second (TOPS) and will be slated for use in future models of the Honda 0 series — a new series of vehicles from the Japanese automotive OEM that will likely be launched late in this decade.
Honda is developing SDVs that will adopt centralized electric architecture combining multiple electronic control units (ECUs) that will control different vehicle functions. These ECUs will be the heart of the SDV managing functions like:
ADAS
- Autonomous driving
- Powertrain control
- Comfort features
Nvidia and Continental
Nvidia and automotive parts giant Continental are working with Aurora Innovation to help scale driverless trucks.
Under the agreement, Nvidia’s Thor and DriveOS systems will be integrated with the Aurora Driver system with Level 4 autonomous technology. The vehicles are slated for production in 2027.
HERE and AWS
Automotive mapping vendor HERE Technologies is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop location-aware software for automakers developing SDVs. The solution will combine AWS technologies with HERE’s mapping software to accelerate the development of ADAS, automated driving and other digital car experiences.
HERE has been developing its maps for years including integrating its technologies into BMW’s Level 3 automated technology.
HERE also announced a partnership with TOGG to integrate personalized navigation into electric vehicles.
AWS and Valeo
Another AWS agreement was made with Valeo to test, develop and validate distributed vehicle software stacks for SDVs. It also helps drive the development of new end user functionalities for drivers.
HL Klemove and Harman
South Korean autonomous vehicle technology vendor HL Klemove signed a partnership agreement with Harman, a division of Samsung, for central compute platforms for SDVs. The deal will be a joint effort for new architectures that integrate autonomous driving and infotainment functions across multiple domains.
