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TOKYO -- Subaru plans to introduce software-defined vehicles that can be updated over-the-air later this decade, the Japanese automaker said, while also increasing the use of digital design and testing to cut development time for next-generation cars by 40%.
The company on Sunday unveiled to media the technologies and development methods it will use for next-generation vehicles, including platforms and powertrains. For its SDVs, Subaru will develop electronic control units (ECUs) in-house. It will integrate its proprietary EyeSight advanced driver-assistance system with an ECU that controls vehicle movement.
Subaru will develop control semiconductors with U.S.-based Advanced Micro Devices, with the system also supporting over-the-air software updates.
"We want to deliver vehicles to customers at affordable prices while keeping them up to date," executive officer Takatomo Watamori said.
The automaker will overhaul its development process, in which prototyping, design, testing and preparations for mass production were all carried out sequentially. By conducting multiple processes in parallel, the company aims to shorten development times. The time saved will be used to refine performance and quality using actual vehicles.
For a test car based on a next-generation electric vehicle being developed in-house, Subaru cut a process that previously took two years to one by adopting a digital-focused development approach, including by refining the design digitally.
Subaru has announced four EV models devised in collaboration with Toyota Motor, but plans to unveil an independently developed EV in 2028 or later. It will apply the new development methods to these future in-house EVs.
The automaker also will reorganize its development structure so that departments such as design and production, along with suppliers, share the same information. By reducing the conventional division of labor in which responsibility passes from one team to another at each stage, Subaru looks to create a system in which issues can be addressed on the spot.
For its next-generation lineup, Subaru will increase the number of shared components across models to improve development and production efficiency. It aims for a 50% parts commonality rate across models and a 50% reduction in the total number of processes across its supply chain.
For platforms used in gasoline and hybrid vehicles, the automaker will further develop its Subaru Global Platform, seeking to reduce vehicle weight by 100 kilograms compared with conventional designs.
Subaru also intends to use the turbocharging and combustion technologies the company developed for its signature horizontally opposed "boxer" engines to eventually improve thermal efficiency by 50%. It will halve the number of engine variants and concentrate resources on next-generation engines.
"There are things we should learn from Chinese automakers and emerging players like Tesla," Watamori said. "Moving forward, we'll thoroughly hone our flexibility."