“Nissan and Sonatus Utilize AI Tools for Vehicle Development”

Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) has entered into a partnership with US-based software company Sonatus to leverage AI tools in vehicle development, with the aim of achieving shorter fault-finding cycles and a more data-driven validation process. This collaboration involves integrating a custom data collection setup at NTCE in Cranfield, UK, with Sonatus’ Collector AI and AI Technician to analyze both real-time and historical vehicle data.

Nissan Aims for Quicker Test Cycles Through AI Diagnostics

The NTCE team is utilizing a specialized vehicle data collection tool to supply data to Sonatus’ AI pipeline, extracting signals from sensors, ECUs, and onboard diagnostics. The AI layer is programmed to automatically identify irregularities, potential failures, and operational inefficiencies, providing engineers with alerts and recommended focus areas, which could potentially reduce manual triage time.

Initial trials conducted by Nissan indicate a decrease in investigation time from approximately two weeks to around two days, while also diminishing the need for physical test vehicles. This aligns with the company’s RE:Nissan recovery plan, which underscores a shift towards more digital-first engineering practices utilizing simulation, advanced testing, and intelligent data to streamline overall development cycles.

In response to the collaboration, David Moss, Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania (AMIEO), stated, “Our partnership with Sonatus exemplifies Nissan’s dedication to innovation and adaptability.

“The role of AI is clearly defined as a tool to support our engineers rather than a direct replacement. Leveraging their extensive experience alongside the AI tool, our engineers will be able to promptly investigate and ensure our products and technologies are market-ready sooner without compromising on quality. This collaboration will enable us to enhance the customer experience and maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving market.”

Data-Driven Validation for Future EV Platforms

Nissan envisions AI tools for vehicle development becoming an integral part of its testing program, including for upcoming models like the all-electric LEAF and the next JUKE. For European engineers focusing on ECUs, data acquisition, OTA architectures, and test automation, this setup showcases how OEMs may anticipate the evolution of test environments, log formats, and diagnostic interfaces in the next product cycle.

Sonatus emphasizes its contribution in terms of smarter data collection and workflow automation for sophisticated software-defined vehicles. Alexandre Corjon, Senior Vice President and Technical Fellow at Sonatus, remarked, “Our collaboration with NTCE underscores a shared commitment to an AI-driven future.

“By facilitating smarter data collection and expediting digital development workflows, Sonatus empowers teams to deliver complex systems with increased speed and precision. NTCE is showcasing how forward-thinking engineering can redefine vehicle development and establish a new standard for automotive innovation.”

NTCE and Sonatus are planning to showcase their AI tools for vehicle development at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, presenting live demonstrations of intelligent data collection and AI-driven diagnostics. This development potentially signals a closer integration between vehicle telemetry, backend analytics, and test engineering within the broader supply chain, indicating a potential rise in demand for Tier-1 suppliers and tool vendors in this area.