CAE/Simulering

AUTOMOTIVE/Virtual Test Drive X leverages HYPERSCALE COMPUTING and AUTOMATION in the cloud for validation of SOFTWARE QUALITY and FUNCTION. The concept of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) is putting heavy pressure on automotive development teams to deliver increasingly capable solutions. In short, ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) and autonomous vehicle systems mean an almost exponential increase in the need to integrate more sensors, more advanced data chips and operating systems that apply complex AI and software algorithms. This has several tough effects, and it is not uncommon for software development and testing to create bottlenecks that delay vehicle launches and feature function distribution.
In terms of market, ADAS simulation is a rapidly growing segment: According to KVB Research, it was worth nearly $5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to around $23 billion by 2031.
But the challenges are significant as driver assistance systems, automated driving and autonomous vehicle development require millions of miles of testing every month. To manage the flows of this development work, PLM-related software plays a crucial role, specifically simulation. Those developing next-generation cars must therefore sharpen their existing simulation technology and also adopt new ones.
This is the background to Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division's introduction of a new cloud-based SaaS service for testing, training and validating ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems. Virtual Test Drive X (VTDx) uses hyperscale computing and automation to enable the automotive industry to automatically validate software quality and functionality against thousands of real-world scenarios, saving significant time. Hexagons SaaS solution has great potential in this with its ability to leverage the power of cloud computing and the automation solutions in Hexagon’s Nexus platform. This allows software teams to build rigorous models into their continuous testing and integration workflows for ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems.
Hexagon GM, Mahesh Kailasam – whose specialty includes innovative physics-based simulation – claims that VTDx addresses all the dramatic changes that characterize ADAS development. Not least the centralization of electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures; that brings stricter regulations to the table. He notes that this new SDV test strategy aligns with modern software development practices and embeds key physical safety testing methods unique to the ADAS component in the vehicle code base. Its high-productivity, scalable code testing and integration methodology enables, among other things, continuous integration and continuous testing (CI/CT) in the development loop, resulting in faster iterations and releases.
"We began the journey to build our cloud-based ADAS simulation software from the ground up with CI/CT processes in mind. Whether the goal is to increase test coverage, shorten cycles or automate flows, the VTDx solution provides significant benefits," says Kailasam.
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NYA Virtual Test Drive X utnyttjar HYPERSKALIGA BERÄKNINGAR och AUTOMATISERING i molnet för validering av PROGRAMKVALITET och FUNKTION. När nästa generations fordon nu tar form står mjukvara i centrum. Koncepten kring mjukvarudefinierade fordon (SDVs) sätter tung press på utvecklingsteamen inom automotive-industrin att leverera allt mer kapabla lösningar. ADAS-funktioner (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) och autonoma fordonssystem innebär kort sagt en närmast exponentiell ökning av behoven att integrera fler sensorer, fler och mer avancerade datachips och operativsystem som tillämpar komplexa AI- och mjukvarualgoritmer. Det här för med sig flera tuffa effekter och det tillhör inte ovanligheterna att mjukvaruutveckling och testning skapar flaskhalsar som försenar fordonslanseringar och funktionsdistribution.
Marknadsmässigt är ADAS-simulering ett kraftfullt växande segment: Enligt KVB Research var den 2023 värd nära 5 miljarder dollar och per 2031 beräknas den ligga på ca 23 miljarder dollar.
Utmaningarna är betydande då förarstödsystem, automatiserad körning och autonom fordonsutveckling kräver miljontals mil av testning varje månad. För att klara av att hantera flödena i detta utvecklingsarbete spelar PLM-relaterad mjukvara en avgörande roll, mer specifikt bl a utnyttjandet av simulering. De som utvecklar nästa generations bilar måste därför vässa sin befintliga simuleringsteknik, men också ta till sig nya.
Detta är bakgrunden till Hexagons Manufacturing Intelligence-divisions introduktion av en ny molnbaserad SaaS-tjänst för att testa, träna och validera ADAS- och autonoma fordonssystem. Virtual Test Drive X (VTDx), som lösningen heter, använder hyperskaliga beräkningar och automatisering och gör det möjligt för bilindustrin att automatiskt validera programvaru-kvalitet och funktion mot tusentals verkliga scenarier, vilket sparar mycket tid för att säkra innovationer. Denna SaaS-lösning ser stark ut med sin kapacitet att utnyttja kraften i molnberäkning och med automationslösningarna i Hexagons Nexus-plattform. Mjukvaruteam kan i detta bygga in rigorösa tester i sina kontinuerliga test- och integrationsarbetsflöden för ADAS och autonoma fordonssystem.
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligences GM, Mahesh Kailasam – med bl a innovativ fysikbaserad simulering som specialitet - hävdar att VTDx tar itu med alla de dramatiska förändringarna som präglar ADAS-utvecklingen. Inte minst centraliseringen av elektriska/elektroniska (E/E) arkitekturer; något som för med sig strängare regler. Han konstaterar att detta nya SDV-teststrategier i linje med modern mjukvaruutvecklings-praxis och bäddar in viktiga fysiska testmetoder för säkerhet, unika för ADAS-komponenten i fordonskod-basen. Dess högproduktiva, mycket skalbara kodtest och integrationsmetod möjliggör bl a kontinuerlig integration och kontinuerlig testning (CI/CT) i utvecklings-, integrations- och testningsarbetet, vilket ger snabbare iterationer och releaser.
"Vi påbörjade också resan för att bygga vår molnbaserade ADAS-simuleringsmjukvara från grunden med CI/CT-processer i åtanke. Oavsett om man syftar till att öka testtäckningen, förkorta cyklerna eller automatisera flödena, ger VTDx-lösningen betydande fördelar," säger Kailasam.
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…and more on EPIROC's PLM bet in PTC and Siemens ENVIRONMENTS. When ABB and Epiroc announced in April 2024 that they had implemented the world's first fully battery-electric trolley truck system on an 800-meter-long underground mine test track at Boliden's Kristineberg mine (Sweden), a milestone was passed that gave lust for more. Today, they are announcing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the continued development of underground trolley equipment. The aim is to collaborate on comprehensive and integrated solutions for the mining industry that increase productivity, while meeting the goals for reduced carbon emissions.
According to the agreement, teams from both companies will conduct an extensive feasibility study on joint offerings. The aim is to meet strict requirements for industrial applications in mining, with productivity, sustainability and powerful, automated and safe operation in mind.
What are the companies' chances of bringing this project to fruition? Excellent, not least in view to the first battery electric trolley truck system related above. But technological development is only one side of the coin, the other is about demand and there are bright spots here: According to ABB’s Mining’s Moment report, 76% of global mining companies believe that electrification of vehicles will bring significant benefits in terms of both sustainability and efficiency. In addition, 42% plan to make investments to reduce carbon emissions from their vehicle fleets by 2026.
“Industry collaboration is essential to accelerate the development of our mining customers’ journey towards reduced emissions,” says Wayne Symes, President of Epiroc’s Underground Division. “We are deepening our partnership with ABB to develop a strategic plan for sustainable and innovative mining, starting with reducing carbon emissions for mining trucks. This will allow us to expand the trolley system to meet the broader needs of the industry.”
An interesting aspect in the context is the use of PLM tools in the development work and not least how Epiroc’s ambitious investment in the area colors collaborative projects of this magnitude. PLM&ERP News recently published a deep dive into this Epiroc project. The company works with tools such as PTC's CREO CAD (Design), Siemens TEAMCENTER (PLM/PDM), and Infor M3 (ERP). EPIROC's digitalization leader, JOHN NYDAHL, explained the vision: "What we see is the need for an integrated platform solution that can hold together the digital thread with everything from the optimal product, the design in the R&D department and a product configurator, to digital twins and representations of our products with the capacity to simulate product behavior."
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HANDS-ON THE NEW TECHNOLOGY on JANUARY 23 in STOCKHOLM. Immersive design using Siemens NX CAD and a new specially developed head-mounted display from Japanese electronics giant Sony – could that be your next digital tool option? Don't miss the chance to try out what many observers believe will become a mainstay in not only product development and the industrial metaverse concept, but which will also have productive offshoots in both maintenance and marketing. At an event in central Stockholm on Thursday, January 23, at 10:30am at Scandic Continental, Siemens Digital Industries Software's Nordic operation and Sony will showcase this interesting technology.
The immersive solution that Siemens and Sony have now developed was shown during last week's gigantic electronics event CES 2025, in Las Vegas, where the companies' joint in-depth project were among the news that attracted the most interest. The constellation has developed a coherent solution where Siemens stands for design technology via the NX CAD platform, while Sony develops the new high-level head-mounted display technology.
Immersive CAD design work with the help of these displays is an area that is increasingly emerging. Being able to both literally and figuratively step into and review, manipulate, interact and collaborate on digital 3D models provides unimagined opportunities to develop completely new levels of innovative product solutions.
PLM&ERP News has previously reported on the case where Volvo Trucks managed to test immersive interaction in the development work of the all-electric Volvo truck, the VNR Electric. This involved a digital scale one-to-one model, including all of the vehicle's more than 12,000 parts, which was run in VR to validate new design, assembly and maintenance processes.
“But the new technology combo we have developed is not just for OEMs, but is equally useful for smaller players. Today, it is not only an important future design track, but is a technology that has already received such good solution platforms that they will play important roles when the industrial metaverse now takes off,” sums up Siemens Digital Industries Software’s Nordic manager, Mats Friberg.
Among the leading developers, Siemens has advanced to one of the leading positions in recent years, not least based on the deep collaboration with its partner on the display side, Sony. The XR HMD (SRH-S1) has Sony’s high-resolution 1.3-type OLED micro-displays with 4K resolution, and a proprietary rendering technology for real-time, high-resolution and realistic rendering of 3D objects.
“Together with the Siemens Immersive Engineering toolkit, the development brings the power of ‘mixed reality’ to product development,” says Siemens CAD manager, senior VP, Bob Haubrock.
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“WHAT HAPPENS IN LAS VEGAS doesn’t necessarily stay in Las Vegas – CES 2025 is the proof…” An early sign of spring in PLM and cutting-edge technology development is the CES tech trade show in Las Vegas. When it started today, Siemens was one of the most visible actors among the major PLM players. Several big things are poster pillars for the company, but not surprisingly, AI is the area most heavily promoted. The company’s CTO and Chief Strategy Officer, Peter Koerte, spoke, among other things, about a vision for the future where data, AI and software-defined automation will converge to, “enable unprecedented flexibility, optimization and continuous improvement across the world’s industries, for companies of all sizes.” Big ambitions of course, but also a message at the heart of Siemens’ presence at CES 2025, one of the world’s most influential technology events. Siemens is, Koerte noted, a global leader in industrial software and pointed to the fact that it is now taking bold new steps in industrial innovation.
“Industrial AI is a game changer that will create significant positive impacts in the real world across all industries,” he said and adden: “It allows us to harness the enormous amounts of data generated in industrial environments and transform them into insights that drive businesses. We are adding new AI capabilities across the entire Siemens Xcelerator portfolio to enable our customers to remain competitive, resilient and sustainable in an increasingly complex world.”
Among the pieces he specifically noted was that it is now bringing AI directly to the shop floor with the new “Industrial Copilot for Operations” solution. Among several benefits is that AI tasks can be run as close to machines as possible via edge computing. This facilitates rapid, real-time decision-making for operators and maintenance engineers, increasing productivity and minimizing downtime.
The Industrial Copilot ecosystem is continuously evolving to offer AI capabilities across the entire industrial value chain and to sectors including discrete and process manufacturing, infrastructure and mobility. This suite of copilots can improve human-machine collaboration across all experience levels, helping to accelerate development times and innovation cycles. Siemens Industrial Copilot will integrate with the Industrial Edge ecosystem, which has been enhanced with AI to deploy, operate and manage AI models within the production environment.
But there was more on the menu; such as Siemens' NVIDIA collaboration to deliver physically based visualization for product lifecycle management, an exciting customer collaboration with startup JetZero on an aircraft solution that paves the way towards net-zero operation via partial hydrogen propulsion, and the collaboration with Sony, which was already announced at CES last year, where the companies are now delivering immersive design opportunities with mixed-reality headsets and NX CAD software in combo.
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”DET SOM HÄNDER I LAS VEGAS stannar inte nödvändigtvis i Las Vegas – det är CES 2025 beviset på…” Ett tidigt tecken på att vårsäsongen inom PLM, automation och allmänt när det gäller vass teknologiutveckling är den stora CES-mässan i Las Vegas, där alla med stora teknologi-ambitioner vill synas. När det startade idag, den 7 januari var Siemens en av de mest synliga aktörerna bland de stora PLM-spelarna. Flera saker stora saker är affischpelare för denna ledande PLM- och automationsspelare. Men inte överraskande är AI ett av de området man slår på trumman för. Bolagets styrelsemedlem, CTO och strategichef, Peter Koerte, berättade bl a om en vision för framtiden där data, AI och mjukvarudefinierad automation kommer att konvergera för att, ”möjliggöra oöverträffad flexibilitet, optimering och ständiga förbättringar över världens industrier, för företag av alla storlekar.” Stora ambitioner förstås och kärnan i Siemens närvaro vid CES 2025, ett av världens mest inflytelserika teknikevenemang. Siemens är, konstaterade Koerte inte utan goda anledningar, en global ledaren inom industriell mjukvara och pekade på att man nu tar än mer djärva steg i industriell innovation.
"Industriell AI är en spelomvandlare som kommer att skapa betydande positiva effekter i den verkliga världen inom alla branscher. Industriell AI låter oss utnyttja de enorma mängderna data som genereras i industriella miljöer och omvandla den till insikter som driver verklig affärseffekt. Vi lägger till nya industriella AI-kapaciteter i hela Siemens Xcelerator-portfölj för att göra det möjligt för våra kunder att förbli konkurrenskraftiga, motståndskraftiga och hållbara i en allt mer komplex värld", sa han.
Bland de bitar han specifikt noterade var att man nu tar Industrial AI direkt till verkstadsgolvet med den nya ”Industrial Copilot for Operations-lösningen”. Bland flera fördelar är att AI-uppgifter kan köras så nära maskiner som möjligt, via ”edge computing.” Detta underlättar snabbt beslutsfattande i realtid för operatörer och underhållsingenjörer, vilket ökar produktiviteten och minimerar stilleståndstiden. Industrial Copilots ekosystem utvecklas kontinuerligt för att erbjuda AI-kapacitet över hela den industriella värdekedjan och till sektorer som inkluderar diskret och processtillverkning, infrastruktur och mobilitet. Denna svit av copiloter kan förbättra samarbete mellan människa och maskin över alla erfarenhetsnivåer, vilket hjälper till att påskynda utvecklingstider och innovationscykler. Siemens Industrial Copilot kommer att integreras med Industrial Edge-ekosystemet, som har förbättrats med AI för att distribuera, driva och hantera AI-modeller inom produktionsmiljön.
Men här fanns mer på menyn; som Siemens NVIDIA-samarbete för att leverera fysiskt baserad visualisering för produktlivscykel-hantering, ett spännande kundsamarbete med startupen JetZero kring en flygplanslösning som banar väg mot netto-noll-drift via partitiell vätedrift, och samarbetet med Sony, som annonserades redan på CES ifjol, där bolagen nu levererar immersiva design-möjligheter med mixed-reality-headset och NX CAD-programvara i kombo.
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PLM- och CAx-mjukvara från XCELERATOR-portföljen en grundpelare i nytt startup-paket. Ett bra sätt att stödja innovativa startups med lovande teknologier är att i tidiga skeden erbjuda kvalificerade aktörer vassa, starkt rabatterade IT-lösningar, inte minst då när det gäller PLM-bitarna. Det som initialt kan handla om relativt små satsningar kan, om idéerna har genomslagskraft, växa till synnerligen stora installationer på med tiden normala kommersiella villkor. Detta har de flesta större PLM-utvecklarna i varierande omfattning tagit fasta på, men klart är att Siemens är en av de mest proaktiva spelarna på området.
När det stora konsument-elektronikeventet CES 2025 i Las Vegas startade idag (7 till 11 januari) passade bolaget på att lansera ett nytt sådant startup-program, ”Siemens for Stratups”. Programmet är särskilt intressant för nystartade rörelser inom konstruktion och tillverkning och går ut på att tillhandahålla lösningar för att effektivisera samarbetsprocesser och underlätta partnerskap med nya innovativa företag. Tillsammans med AWS, Amazon Web Services, Siemens kommer man att ge tillgång till Siemens Xcelerator ekosystem för att påskynda innovation för startups.
"Startups är avgörande för att göra våra kunder mer konkurrenskraftiga, hållbara och motståndskraftiga. Genom att samarbeta med startups hjälper Siemens till att föra banbrytande idéer till industrier snabbare, vilket ger kunderna möjlighet att hantera globala utmaningar mer effektivt med banbrytande teknologier, verktyg och lösningar", kommenterar Peter Koerte, styrelseledamot för Siemens AG, Chief Technology Officer och Chief Strategy Officer.
De som antas till programmet kommer att få tillgång till och kunna integrera Siemens omfattande svit av industriell mjukvara – inkluderat design-, simulerings- och tillverkningslösningar från Siemens Xcelerator-portföljen – inom ramen för AWS skalbara molninfrastruktur. På Xcelerator-plattformen finns bl a digitala spetsverktyg som NX CAD, simulerings- & analys-portföljen Simcenter och inte minst bolagets marknadsledande cPDm-mjukvara, Teamcenter. För teknisk support och go-to-market support kommer kvalificerade startups också att få AWS-krediter, affärsutvecklingsresurser och tillgång till AWS Activate-programmet.
Programmet har tre pelare:
• Hjälp att komma igång på Siemens Xcelerators marknadsplats.
• Siemens erbjuder också ett omfattande samarbete som ger startups tillgång till banbrytande kapacitet och tjänster som ger startups de tidiga intäkter som behövs för tillväxt.
• Och, som sagt, paketerad tillgång till viktiga mjukvaruverktyg från Siemens Xcelerator-portföljen.
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To all the great people in the PLM, Automation and ERP Businesses – few can do so much to PROVIDE a BETTER WORLD than you. Technology and innovation mean a lot for human progress and all efforts and contributions are important. Thanks a lot for 2024 and let’s join forces for new exiting advancements during 2025.
All the best from Verdi Ogewell and PLM&ERP News' Editorial Team!

HEXAGON ACQUIRES INDURAD, a company at the forefront of radar and real-time location systems (RTLS). The deal, announced in late November, also includes Indurad’s autonomous transportation subsidiary, Xtonomy. This strategic move underscores Hexagon’s commitment to improving mining productivity, safety and autonomy through groundbreaking technology.
In the press release, the company points to several key benefits that the acquisition will bring, including:
• Enhanced Mine Safety: indurad’s advanced radar-based collision avoidance systems mitigate risks in high-stakes mining environments.
• Increased Productivity: Real-time ore tracking and measurement help automate mine workflows, reducing downtime and inefficiencies.
• Future-Ready Autonomy: indurad’s mobile machine automation expertise and OEM-agnostic autonomy platform combined with Hexagon’s existing technologies accelerate the shift to fully autonomous mines.
“This acquisition represents another step towards realising our vision of fully connected and integrated mine workflows,” said Norbert Hanke, Interim President and CEO of Hexagon. “Indurad’s radar technology aligns perfectly with our focus on safety and autonomy, and we are excited to integrate their capabilities into our portfolio to unlock its full potential.”
The acquired company is based in Germany and specializes in modular radar systems that deliver precise object tracking, collision avoidance and machine automation. These innovations, Hanke believes, will enhance Hexagon's integrated portfolio, "further strengthening its leadership in the mining industry."
The transaction is expected to close by the end of November, when Indurad will be fully consolidated into Hexagon's Autonomous Solutions division. In 2023, the company reported revenues of approximately EUR 19 million, but with profitability initially below Hexagon Group levels. However, this is expected to improve as synergies are realized. The company has 140 employees globally.
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CFD and FEA: Pre-trained MODELS built on STAR-CCM+ and NASTRAN data. Siemens' purchase of the AI, simulation and analysis company Altair gives an interesting signal on how the company values software capabilities in these areas: The future points to a continued strong increase in the needs for sharp capabilities in all three domains, with emphasis on the AI side. And Siemens' PLM division, Siemens Digital Industries Software, has the ambition to spearhead the simulation train into the future. It is even clearer today after the company's announcement last week of an ongoing collaboration with PhysicsX, a startup that uses generative AI to enable groundbreaking engineering in advanced industries such as Aerospace & Defense. Together, the companies now aim to create the next generation of AI-based deep physics simulation to accelerate performance prediction and optimization. PhysicsX builds its latest pre-trained deep physics model for aerodynamics on high-fidelity simulation data generated with the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio's Simcenter platform.
With this and with the purchase of Altair–a trailblazing pioneer in unleashing the power of AI across the entire product lifecycle–a new higher standard is being set in AI-driven CAE technology. The goal is to continue on the path initiated by Altair; to seamlessly embed AI into design and simulation tools with integrated user-friendly workflows, to together with on-demand high-performance computing (HPC) resources and Siemens PLM division's already existing rich Xcelerator portfolio on the Simcenter platform, empower teams to extend AI with perhaps the market's strongest combined PLM-integrated total solution for the CAE domain.
Add to this what PhysicsX solutions and their promise of the dramatic acceleration that AI can bring to simulation through the Large Geometry Model (LGM). For example, PhysicsX's LGM-Aero is trained on a corpus with more than 25 million geometries and associated physics simulation. The training data contains tens of billions of mesh elements and tens of thousands of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations made with Siemens Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Nastran software. One result is that users can fine-tune deep learning models for their own applications with as little as a few tens of simulations. "AI represents a truly transformative opportunity for the simulation community, and we are exploring its potential at an accelerating pace," said Jean-Claude Ercolanelli, senior VP of Simulation and Test Solutions, Siemens Digital Industries Software. He continues: "To scale AI use, open collaboration is key and we're excited for PhysicsX to reveal to the world what they're working on. Together, we're now exploring an AI-enhanced simulation industry that has the potential to change the way products are designed and engineered.”
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