Honeywell International and NXP Semiconductors are expanding their partnership to bring the latter company’s i.MX 8 processors to the former firm’s in-development Anthem integrated flight deck to power more AI-assist features and eventually full autonomy functions. The announcement was made on Wednesday at the CES 2025 trade show in Las Vegas and builds on the agreement the companies unveiled nearly 12 months ago.

The Honeywell group aims to optimize and automate a broad range of products and processes across various industries with the help of NXP’s expertise in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. Eventually, the collaboration between Honeywell and NXP could culminate in AI-powered autonomous flight technologies for pilotless operations. For now, they will focus on AI-driven solutions to improve the efficiency of flight planning and management systems. 

“Bringing avionics closer to autonomous flight requires a unique combination of high-performance processing and AI, advanced connectivity and security, and functional safety,” said NXP president and CEO Kurt Sievers. “NXP’s broad portfolio and systems solutions approach makes us a natural partner for Honeywell on the journey towards creating innovative, intelligent, and autonomous avionics that can sense, think, and act.”

NXP brings experience from the automotive industry as the world’s biggest producer of computer chips for cars. It also manufactures chips for smart appliances and mobile devices, including radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags, which are used in electronic passports and implantable microchips for pets, for example. The Dutch chipmaker was also a co-inventor of the near-field communication technology that enables contactless card payments.

Thinner, Clearer Cockpit Displays

Under the expanded partnership, NXP will work with Honeywell Aerospace on advanced cockpit display systems. According to Honeywell, the partners plan “to advance large-area displays for next-generation cockpits with thinner, high-resolution screens designed to improve visual clarity and system efficiency.” 

Honeywell Aerospace envisions a range of applications for NXP’s portfolio of chip products. For example, it plans to implement NXP’s i.MX 8 applications processors—which Honeywell’s Building Automation division already uses in its Advance Control for Buildings platform—in the Anthem flight deck. Honeywell Aerospace also intends to leverage S32N “super-integration” processors, which NXP produces for computers in software-defined vehicles, and adapt the technology to fly-by-wire aircraft—such as those that will be flying with Anthem avionics. 

The Anthem avionics suite, which Honeywell announced in 2021, is a cloud-connected cockpit system with touchscreen displays containing built-in processors, which eliminate the need for bulky external hardware. Honeywell designed Anthem to be customizable and compatible with just about any type of aircraft, including airliners, business jets, small general aviation aircraft, advanced air mobility vehicles, and military aircraft. Some eVTOL developers have already committed to using Anthem in their respective aircraft, including Supernal, Lilium, and Vertical Aerospace. Boom has also opted to use Anthem in its planned supersonic aircraft.

In October, autonomous flight pioneer Merlin announced plans to integrate its AI-enhanced autonomous flight control system with Honeywell’s Anthem avionics suite. The Merlin Pilot combines advanced autopilot and navigation technologies with natural language processing capabilities, allowing uncrewed aircraft to communicate verbally with air traffic control. 

“By fulfilling the promise of advanced air mobility, electric aircraft like the VX4 represent a bold vision for the future,” said Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, which is showcasing its aircraft at CES this week. “Honeywell Anthem has already proven to be a highly capable platform, and we’re excited to explore how its capabilities can be further enhanced by NXP’s advanced computing to lessen pilot workloads while increasing situational awareness. Together, we see opportunities to make travel quicker, cleaner, and safer, supporting our shared vision to transform how the world moves.”