Gateway to Tomorrow
Steve Rogerson covered the automotive industry’s big changes at the IESF Automotive conference in Plymouth, Michigan. The conference, hosted by Mentor, part of Siemens, focused on the industry’s shift towards autonomous vehicles, electrification, and smart mobility. With each new vehicle generation, the use of software has skyrocketed, increasing the lines of code significantly.
Don Kurelich, a vice president at Mentor, kicked off the event, noting how rapidly the market is evolving. He emphasized that within the next ten years, the main focus of the automotive business would be on electrical content. “We need to improve by a hundred times, make everything smaller and more efficient, and increase functionality,” he said. “This will be a journey lasting the next two decades.”
Kurelich highlighted the emergence of new sensors, microprocessors, digital signal processors, and upgraded process technologies every few years, which necessitates constant reevaluation of vehicle architecture. He predicted that autonomous driving would become routine in twenty years as problems like integration, compactness, and power efficiency would be resolved. However, who will own the intellectual property and data remains uncertain—whether it will be traditional automotive companies or tech giants like Google, Apple, or Amazon.
Mouse McCoy, co-founder of Hackrod, described the significant challenges for new companies trying to bring innovative ideas to market, calling the gap between an idea and a product “the valley of death.” He dreamt of a future where young innovators could easily create their dream vehicles without compromise.
Wally Rhines, CEO of Mentor, pointed out the influx of over 345 companies announcing plans to introduce electric cars and trucks. While not all will succeed, they will certainly challenge the status quo, making electric vehicles an exciting part of the future.
Tony Hemmelgarn, CEO of Siemens PLM, added that with approximately 20,000 to 30,000 requirements for each car, traditional tools like spreadsheets are insufficient. Autonomous vehicles, in particular, would need extensive virtual validation, as physical testing over billions of miles is impractical.
One of the key announcements at the event was Siemens’ integration of three software components into a single tool for thermal simulation in autonomous electric vehicles. The Simcenter software combines Flue FD cad-embedded CFD, Motorsolve electric motor designer, and Flomaster powertrain thermal energy manager. This tool aims to address critical thermal challenges, such as extending electric drive range, optimizing in-cabin comfort, and enhancing sensor and system reliability. Puneet Sinha, MAD automotive manager at Mentor Graphics, emphasized the vital role thermal design will play in the market adoption of autonomous vehicles, noting that traditional software tools are inadequate for these challenges. Improper thermal design, he said, is a leading cause of electrical failure.
Overall, the automotive industry is indeed experiencing unprecedented changes, with rapid advancements and new challenges emerging continually.
