The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry will start developing jointly with 10 automakers an operating system for automotive electronics, it has been learned.
The decision will be announced this week, a ministry source said.
European auto makers are in the process of developing a commmon OS for automotive electronics.
Japanese companies, which have been developing their own operating systems separately, will begin joint development of an OS, aiming to create a global standard in this field.
The ministry will commission the task of developing the OS to JasPar--Japan Automotive Software Platform Architecture--a joint venture comprising leading automakers and auto-parts makers and, electronics firms, including Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Honda R&D Co., Denso Corp. and Toshiba Corp.
The ministry plans to seek more than 1 billion yen in funding for the project in its budgetary request for fiscal 2008. The joint venture aims to have a prototype OS completed in fiscal 2009 and to market it in five to 10 years.
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