The automotive manufacturers collaborated on a common high level software architecture. This is a good example of competitors coming together to introduce standardization at the specification level. Each manufacturer is then free to implement the architecture however they wish. Suppliers will identify portions of the implementation that will not be the focus of innovation and they will provide standard products that are purchased by the top level manufacturers.  

Here is a paper that provides a good example of some of the information that can be communicated about an architecture: Autosar domain architecture

Here is a tutorial on Autosar that provides more details: Autosar tutorial