Chinese chipmaker Ouye Semiconductor and software firm Reach Auto have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop a domestic 'chip + software' integrated zone control unit (ZCU) solution for smart electric vehicles, according to a report by Gasgoo on October 24.
The partnership will focus on building a long-term collaboration around the ZCU hardware and software foundation, leveraging Reach Auto's NeuSAR basic software platform and Ouye Semiconductor's Gongbu 565 series chips. The two companies will conduct deep adaptation, joint research and development, and market expansion to create an integrated ZCU solution that combines domestic chips with domestic basic software, accelerating the localization of next-generation electronic and electrical (E/E) architecture in intelligent vehicles.
Why ZCU Matters
As smart vehicle E/E architecture shifts toward a 'central computing + zone control' model, the ZCU serves as a critical hub connecting the central computing platform with the vehicle's execution units. The technical maturity and localization level of ZCU have become key factors influencing the pace of vehicle architecture upgrades. Under pressure from supply chain security, cost control, and customization needs, domestic 'chip-software integrated' solutions are transitioning from an option to a necessity for automakers.
Reach Auto claims to be the first in China to achieve mass production of a full-stack software platform including AUTOSAR CP, AP, and middleware. Its NeuSAR cCore basic software complies with AUTOSAR R21-11/R23-11 standards, supports multi-core deployment, and meets the demands of next-generation in-vehicle communication scenarios. It is also the first in China to pass ISO 26262 ASIL-D functional safety certification and follows ISO/SAE 21434 standards for a complete information security system.
Domestic Chip and Software Integration
Ouye Semiconductor's Gongbu 565 series is positioned as China's first high-end ZCU main control chip designed for the third-generation E/E architecture. It adopts a '1+3' architecture, upgrading the ZCU from a traditional multi-protocol signal relay to a zone intelligent hub that integrates high-performance routing, edge computing, real-time communication, and intelligent power supply. The series is the first in China's automotive-grade chips to achieve mass production using RRAM technology, and features a built-in AI acceleration engine with strong performance in TSN hard forwarding latency, AI computing power, and interface richness.
According to the cooperation plan, the two companies will complement each other: Reach Auto brings reliable and mass-producible basic software, while Ouye Semiconductor provides full-domain chip capabilities under the 'central computing + zone control' architecture. Together, they aim to deliver ZCU products with higher cost-effectiveness and better mass-production efficiency. In the future, they will deepen technical collaboration and market coordination, jointly define next-generation basic software products and automotive chips, and extend their solutions to more intelligent terminals and equipment scenarios.
