Milan, Italy, December 13th, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, announced today that it was honored with the prestigious 2023 Pirelli Innovation Supplier Award. The award was presented during the annual Pirelli Supplier Day, a distinguished event where Pirelli recognizes the outstanding contributions made by its top suppliers in the areas of sustainability, quality, innovation, performance, and service.

Out of Pirelli's extensive network of 15,000 suppliers worldwide, VI-grade emerged as one of the five suppliers that significantly contributed to the achievement of Pirelli's objectives throughout the year. The Supplier Day, held at Pirelli's headquarters in Milan, saw the participation of over 70 strategic suppliers from 18 countries, representing approximately 40% of the Group's global annual purchases.

Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice Chairman at Pirelli, commented: “Our company always sets itself ambitious goals that would not be possible without the support of those who work alongside us. Sharing our company values and targets with the entire supply chain allows us to constantly improve, particularly when it comes to sustainability and innovation which are key, strategic elements that underpin our global leadership in the High Value Segment and sustainability indices.”

Guido Bairati, Managing Director of VI-grade, expressed his gratitude, stating, "I was thrilled to have the honor of receiving the 2023 Pirelli Innovation Supplier Award on behalf of VI-grade. This award recognizes the VI-grade team's commitment to providing simulation software and simulators that help automotive companies develop vehicles and key components efficiently. It's a great achievement that belongs to every VI-grade employee who contributes to our mission of reducing costs and physical prototyping during the vehicle development process."

The 2023 Pirelli Supplier Day highlighted the alignment of VI-grade's goals with Pirelli's focus on Innovation, Sustainability, Growth, and Competitiveness. In his speech, Guido Bairati underscored VI-grade's dedication to creating innovative and sustainable products. He stated, "Every year our simulators are driven over 9,000,000 kilometers worldwide, saving tons of CO2 emissions annually.”
 

德国达姆施塔德，2023年12月7日——以人为中心的仿真驱动车辆开发解决方案的全球供应商VI-grade今天宣布，其最新的驾驶模拟器DiM300已被国际车辆动力学协会(Vehicle Dynamics International)选为2023年年度开发工具。这个久负盛名的奖项旨在表彰最新的工具，使车辆动力学工程师能够评估他们的设计和设置，以获得卓越的汽车性能。VI-grade的DiM300在这一类别中脱颖而出，强调了公司在仿真驱动的车辆开发解决方案方面不断创新和卓越的承诺。

DiM300是广受好评的DiM DYNAMIC驾驶模拟器技术的演变，引入了先进的功能，包括扩展的操作范围和更高的三脚支架速度，为车辆开发工程师提供了全新的真实感受和丰富的多功能性。该模拟器代表了VI-grade大型仿真技术的重大进步，在之前DiM150和DiM250模型成功的基础上，目前有26个设备已在全球安装和运行。

DiM300于2023年11月正式推出，已经展现出了极大的市场影响力。第一个单元于2023年底被日本本田公司成功采用，第二个单元计划于2024年在日本工程服务提供商进步技术集团进行运营部署。

VI-grade董事总经理Guido Bairati表示:“我们很高兴我们的最新创新产品DiM300被评为年度车辆动力学工具。这一最新模型代表了我们大型驾驶模拟技术的重大飞跃，我们相信它将有助于推动我们客户的开发工作。其增强的功能和更大的运动面积无疑将再次改善工程师车辆开发的方式。”
 

德国达姆施塔特，2023年11月21日-全球以人为中心的仿真驱动车辆开发解决方案提供商VI-grade今天宣布，全球领先的独立工程服务提供商EDAG Group将启动有史以来第一个EDAG零原型实验室，其核心是VI-grade的线缆驱动DiM500模拟器。该创新设施目前正在德国沃尔夫斯堡EDAG公司开发中心建设，预计将于2024年第一季度投入运营。

EDAG集团将使用DiM500模拟器为其全球所有的工程服务，特别专注于车辆动力学和新机动性等关键领域的OEM服务，包括ADAS和自动驾驶汽车。通过对VI-grade先进模拟器技术的战略性投资，EDAG集团正在显著扩大其虚拟开发和测试能力，确保在竞争中领先一步。值得注意的是，EDAG集团将成为全球首家将DiM500线缆驱动模拟器纳入其综合服务组合的工程服务提供商。除了VI-grade的DiM500线缆驱动模拟器外，EDAG零原型实验室还将具有VI-grade的紧凑型全频谱模拟器(COMPACT Full Spectrum Simulator)和一个额外的AutoHawk硬件在环平台，以连接驾驶模拟器与其现有和未来的硬件在环平台。这套全面的工具将使EDAG集团能够在推动全球范围内工程服务的上限，从而使"零原型"愿景成为现实。

EDAG集团高级车辆运动专家Jonas Grötzinger表示：“在EDAG，我们致力于将我们卓越的工程核心能力与最新的技术融合在一起，巩固我们作为全球机动行业值得信赖的合作伙伴地位。，将VI-grade最先进的模拟器技术集成到我们新的零原型实验室，体现了我们对创新的共同承诺，将对全球工程服务的未来产生重大影响。”

"我们很兴奋地报告了DiM500线缆驱动模拟器被EDAG的零原型实验室所采用"，VI-grade仿真驱动开发高级专家Michael Hoffmann补充道 "凭借我们目前最强大的基于独特线缆驱动系统的大型仿真器DiM500，EDAG正在将其提供的工程服务提升到前所未有的水平。将该仿真器集成到新成立的EDAG零原型实验室，使得公司处于向零原型开发模式转变的前沿，给公司带来了显著的竞争优势。我热切期待着在这个开创性的设备将带来令人瞩目的客户项目，塑造了运动性的将来。"

 

德国达姆施塔特，2023年11月16日 – VI-grade秉承以人为本的宗旨，是全球范围内的仿真驱动型汽车开发解决方案供应商。VI-grade今天自豪地宣布，其最先进的紧凑级NVH模拟器成功出售给位于捷克共和国的汽车行业先驱之一Škoda Auto a.s.,。该交易于2023年8月完成，是VI-grade的一个重要里程碑。Škoda Auto选择VI-grade紧凑级NVH模拟器作为推进其车辆NVH开发的关键工具，能够精确评估二阶乘坐舒适性和噪音

Škoda Auto选择VI-grade紧凑级NVH模拟器而非竞品的决定性因素来自VI-grade的核心技术。VI-grade NVH模拟器可以精确评估车辆和动力系统的声音和振动属性，能够模拟虚拟原型的振动声学，旨在真实再现包括道路可视化在内的真实驾驶条件。该模拟器简化了数据解释，并将客户的观点积极纳入决策过程，从而成为通过虚拟技术指导车辆开发的关键产品。

Škoda 的NVH经理Tomáš Beneš强调：“我们选择VI-grade作为供应商的首要理由是可能与大众集团共享内部的专业知识。VI-grade已被证明是NVH高级应用的一个杰出且可靠的合作伙伴。”

此外，本项目是由宾利与大众的同行向Škoda工程师推荐促成，这也巩固了VI-grade NVH模拟解决方案在行业中的领军名誉。

VI-grade EMEA地区NVH模拟器客户经理Giorgio Adriano评论道：“VI-grade与当地经销商SVMTech合作，很荣幸能够支持Škoda Auto的NVH开发，为Škoda的工程研发计划带来创新的解决方案和专业知识。”
 

德国达姆施塔特，2023年11月9日 – VI-grade秉承以人为本的宗旨，是全球范围内的仿真驱动型汽车开发解决方案供应商。VI-grade今天宣布推出DiM300动态驾驶模拟器，这是广受赞誉的DiM系列驾驶模拟器的扩展版本。全新的DiM300代表了VI-grade大型模拟器的最新水平。

“DiM300引入了一系列尖端功能，包括更大的运动范围和更快的执行器速度。” SAGInoMIYA Seisakusho执行官Kazunori Aizu评论道，“令人印象深刻的是，该模拟器展示了在几乎没有motion cueing的情况下执行大平面位移的能力，为工程师提供了前所未有的真实感和多功能性。”

自2011年以来，VI-grade一直处于驾驶模拟技术的前沿，并与SAGInoMIYA建立了长期合作伙伴关系，2012年开发并推出了最先进的运动平台DiM150，为下一代系统级仿真方案奠定了基础。在这一基础上，VI-grade于2018年推出了DiM250，其特点是扩展线性执行器，增加了六足平台的行程与稳态加速度。 

如今，26台DiM150和DiM250模拟器在全球范围内安装并投入运行。使用这些最先进的模拟器，汽车制造商、供应商、赛车运动团队和研究中心能够体验到前所未有的逼真度和多功能性，这对于打破仿真与物理测试之间的壁垒以及实现“零原型”的愿景至关重要。

DiM300代表了VI-grade大型模拟器的最新水平。首台DiM300于2023年被日本本田成功采用，第二台计划于2024年在日本工程服务提供商Progress Technologies Group进行运营部署。

VI-grade总经理Guido Bairati评论道：“我们很高兴能将DiM300介绍给我们的客户。这一最新型号代表着我们大规模驾驶模拟技术的重大技术飞跃，我们相信它将有助于推动客户的产品开发，DiM300更大的运动范围和增强功能无疑将再次积极影响工程师开发车辆的方式。”
 

Darmstadt, Germany, October 26th , 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced the official recap of its highly successful 2023 ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits held on May 24-25 in Udine (Italy), September 20 in Novi, MI (USA), September 21 in Tokyo (Japan) and October 18 in Zhaoyuan (China). Over 750 representatives from major automotive and transportation OEMs, Tier1 suppliers, motorsport teams, research centers and partner companies attended the global event series in-person. VI-grade's EMEA flagship event as well as the inaugural spin-off Summit in China were livestreamed and attracted an additional 1,000 virtual attendees, resulting in an overall record attendance.

A total of 55 Keynote and Technical Presentations by leading OEMs and suppliers provided the worldwide VI-grade community with exclusive insights into how major global players in the automotive industry are using simulation, driving simulators and HiL technologies to accelerate vehicle development and achieve the Zero Prototypes vision. All presentations were recorded and are accessible free-of-charge on the VI-grade website and VI-grade’s YouTube Channel. The official after movies of all four events can be found at the following links: 

1. After movie – EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit
2. After movie – North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit
3. After movie – Japan ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit
4. After movie – PRC ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit

The European, North American and Chinese ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits were all held at SimCenter facilities, giving attendees the opportunity to experience VI-grade's driving simulators, software and HiL solutions live and in action. With over 20 application-specific demo sessions available, attendees gained first-hand exposure to the value and benefits of VI-grade's state-of-the-art simulation tools, underscoring the critical role simulation plays in refining the development process and thus accelerating innovation. 

“The content was well balanced from product introduction to examples of simulator application in different industries. I much appreciated the quality of the presentations.”, commented an attendee of the North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit.

“This was an excellent and very well-organized event, with even more concrete examples of how driving simulators are being utilized in the industry. It was also a great opportunity to talk with other companies at the networking reception and realize the importance of horizontal connections”, added an attendee of the Japanese ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit. 

The resounding success of this global event series across the world's major automotive hubs is a testament to the importance of the Zero Prototypes mission in the automotive industry, with VI-grade being at the forefront of this movement. Looking ahead to 2024, VI-grade is pleased to announce that the 2024 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit will be held on May 14-16 at VI-grade’s SimCenter and main technological development center in Udine, Italy. Dates for the spin-off events will be announced shortly but will traditionally be held in the fall of 2024.

“We are truly impressed by the great interest our worldwide community has shown in our series of ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits, as evidenced by the number of attendees and the consistently positive feedback," commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “We look forward to building on this year's success as our ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits become one of the automotive industry's premier events. We’re pleased that our ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits have become a forum where automotive manufacturers and suppliers can demonstrate tangible success in closing the gap between CAE simulation and physical testing on the road to zero prototype sign-off.”

Darmstadt, Germany, October 12th , 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, and JEDAi, a consulting startup specializing in smart automotive digital transformation, today announced a strategic partnership. This collaboration will benefit customers by enabling fast digital transition, new process definition and implementation, people empowerment, and capitalisation for increased added value at all stages of development.

With over 10 years of experience in automotive simulation and driving simulators, JEDAi is uniquely positioned to advise automotive companies in defining and implementing digital transformation initiatives. Under this new partnership, JEDAi will help companies looking to adopt driving simulator technologies by guiding them through the implementation of virtual engineering workflows, driver coaching and onboarding. They will also support VI-grade’s customers in fully harnessing the potential of their state-of-the-art driving simulators. This includes  implementing advanced digital twin processes, utilizing robust virtual vehicle and tire models, and utilizing data intelligence services, such as neural networks and AI, to ensure optimized performance. 

These services bring significant benefits to VI-grade customers, as JEDAi provides valuable guidance on how to best utilize the data generated from driving simulators, for faster, more informed decisions.

JEDAi also offers in-depth knowledge and services focused on tire modeling, integration within the simulation workflow and the difficult art of correlation between the testing and the digital twin environment for a robust virtual development ecosystem.

“At VI-grade, we are very excited to partner with JEDAi and introduce their expertise in digital transformation to our global customer base”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “JEDAi's many years of experience mean we can leverage their experience to assist a wide range of customers in building robust vehicle and tire models, thus optimizing their usage on our driving simulators, and scaling up their simulator activities.”

“JEDAi's advanced digital expertise and state-of-the-art VI-grade software and hardware is the perfect combination to create the ultimate virtual environment. This is a unique offering in the automotive industry that covers all aspects of the digital transformation process, from the premises to the most advanced usage for maximum value creation", added Mathieu Grob, Co-Founder and COO at JEDAi.

Darmstadt, Germany, October 5th, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, and Meccanica 42, a leading provider of electronically controlled mechanical devices designed for on-road vehicles and advanced HiL driving simulators, today announced they’ve signed a strategic partnership. This new alliance consolidates VI-grade as an official reseller of Meccanica 42’s innovative hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) and mechanical hardware-in-the-loop (mHiL) solutions and tools, enabling customers to accelerate their vehicle development processes. Through this reseller agreement, VI-grade gains the direct distribution rights for Meccanica 42's standard and custom HiL solutions, benefiting its extensive customer base, including leading OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and worldwide research centers.

Meccanica 42 will become a system integrator, leveraging the expertise of its team to seamlessly integrate its HiL solutions with VI-grade simulators. This ensures a smooth transition for customers into this new environment with minimal workflow impact. Another benefit of this partnership is the addition of Meccanica 42’s HiL test benches to VI-grade's SimCenter facilities worldwide, guaranteeing their availability and accessibility at key global automotive hubs. 

Based in Sesto Fiorentino, Italy, Meccanica 42 specializes in the development, design and manufacture of advanced mechanical hardware-in-the-loop test benches that seamlessly integrate key vehicle components and related ECUs within a virtual simulation environment. Meccanica 42’s electronically-controlled mechanical devices are specifically designed for on-road vehicles and advanced HiL driving simulators, and are typically installed in safety-critical systems. These systems are fully compatible with VI-grade's wide range of driving simulators via both direct and remote connections. This allows automotive engineers to carry out comprehensive, final hardware component validation tests within a safe space and under reliable conditions, from anywhere worldwide. The benefits of providing a simulated environment where tests can be performed in a reliable, repeatable manner include obtaining better data in less time and at a lower cost. Development engineers can also be assured that the system being simulated is properly developed and pre-calibrated before it’s tested on a real vehicle.


Meccanica 42's solutions consist of EPSiL (steering system), BrakeiL (braking system), together with WSE (Wheel speed Signals Emulator) and CamiL (camera setup), which can also be fully customized to meet the unique requirements of individual clients. 

“We at VI-grade are thrilled to join forces with Meccanica 42 and serve as a reseller for their state-of-the-art HiL solutions, particularly in chassis, steering, brake, and camera rig applications”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “This partnership not only allows us to offer our valued customers a comprehensive product portfolio but also strengthens our position in the rapidly expanding HiL market driven by increasing electrification, growing vehicle complexity and the development of vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems."

“We look forward to collaborating more closely with VI-grade in the future, combining our core competencies and experience in Hardware-in-the-Loop, driving simulation and simulators”, added Claudio Annicchiarico, CEO at Meccanica 42. “This partnership enables us to benefit from VI-grade's long-standing sales and technical expertise as well as their extensive customer base worldwide. This reseller agreement between VI-grade and Meccanica 42 also signifies our shared commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that address the evolving challenges of the automotive industry.”

On October 19th, 4pm CET, industry experts Claudio Annicchiarico of Meccanica 42 and Alessandro Baldari from VI-grade will host an exclusive webinar titled "Revolutionizing Vehicle Development with Real-Time Simulations and HiL Testing".

The joint webinar will unveil how real-time simulations and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) analysis synergize physical components with virtual vehicle models in a secure environment, eliminating the need for physical prototypes. This transformative approach accelerates the development process, empowering engineers to swiftly evaluate design alterations and make mission-critical decisions. Registration is available at: https://mobex.io/webinars/revolutionizing-vehicle-development-with-real-time-simulations-and-hil-testing/

沃里克郡努尼顿，2023 年 9 月 28 日 – VI-grade秉承以人为本的宗旨，是全球范围内的仿真驱动型汽车开发解决方案供应商。VI-grade今天宣布，DiM250动态驾驶模拟器在位于沃里克郡努尼顿的全新驾驶模拟器中心投入使用，这也是在英国安装的第一台DiM250驾驶模拟器，该中心位于 全球领先的汽车供应商HORIBA MIRA 的英国总部。
该中心的投资超过400万英镑，可以帮助汽车OEM和tier one 供应商创造出真正体现其品牌身份的汽车。虚拟工具的应用，将以可持续和高效益的方式加速车辆的开发。

VI-DiM250动态模拟器是世界上最先进、性能最好的动态运动驾驶模拟器之一。它的使用将大大减少了对实车测试和原型的需求，并减少相关的碳排放。在同等条件下，一个使用VI-grade模拟器开发的车型最多可以避免14000吨当量的二氧化碳（*）。前往HORIBA MIRA驾驶模拟器中心的客户还可以使用其于2021年购置的VI-grade 紧凑级驾驶模拟器。

HORIBA MIRA总经理Declan Allen表示：“当今客户期望变化不断，新的驾驶模拟器中心会大大降低为满足变化所带来的车辆开发的的成本和复杂性。VI-DiM250动态模拟器增强了HORIBA MIRA的能力，推动了属性导向开发的方法，同时也支持高级驾驶辅助系统（ADAS）、人机界面（HMI）和 X-in-the-loop（XiL）的试验与开发。”

VI-grade总经理Guido Bairati表示：“我们很高兴VI-grade及其驾驶模拟器被选为HORIBA MIRA的首选工具。凭借悠久且受人尊敬的汽车工程历史，VI-grade的DiM250动态驾驶模拟器和紧凑级驾驶模拟器将支持全球汽车制造商和供应商开展汽车项目以及解决工程挑战。”

HORIBA MIRA的驾驶模拟器中心与其属性导向开发方法相结合，将 "人在环"（Human-in-the-Loop）置于虚拟工程的起点。属性开发工程师可以快速、低成本地进行准确、无限制的比较。这对平衡车辆相互耦合的参数属性尤为重要，可以实现在整个开发周期中做出更明智的主导决策，而非被动地等待物理原型，还能大大减少所需的原型数量。

驾驶模拟器中心使汽车公司能够在许多汽车应用领域进行虚拟开发。主要侧重于车辆动力学、NVH以及驾驶性能，也包括复杂性和重要性不断增加的工程，如ADAS、HMI和XiL。

近八十年来，HORIBA MIRA 一直在汽车工程创新领域发挥着先锋作用。随着汽车行业的发展，HORIBA MIRA 将继续引领潮流，并调整其基础设施和工程能力，以支持客户向零排放过渡。驾驶模拟器中心大大降低了汽车行业对碳密集型物理原型的依赖，是实现 "零排放 "目标的关键因素。

(*) VI-grade驾驶模拟器减少排放报告，2022年9月.

 

 
New this year is a special focus on tire modeling and simulation. Tire modeling is a complex and challenging, yet nonetheless essential, task for vehicle developers. By accurately modeling the tire's behavior, vehicle developers can improve the safety, performance, and efficiency of their vehicles. Acknowledging this critical need, this year’s ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit program will culminate in a live, expert panel discussion on "Tire Modeling for the Virtual World" moderated by Mike Stackpole, President of Stackpole Engineering Services. The session brings together experts from leading tire model suppliers including Calspan, cosin scientific software, Fraunhofer ITWM and MegaRide to explore the future of tire design and the seamless integration of tire models into VI-grade’s solutions and driving simulators.

The technical agenda comprises a selection of over 16 high-level keynote and technical presentations where attendees will hear first-hand from simulation thought leaders in the global automotive industry. These industry leaders will demonstrate how they employ VI-grade’s simulation, driving simulators and Hardware-in-the-Loop technologies to accelerate new vehicle development and get ever closer to the “zero prototypes” vision. 

Attendees will come away with valuable insights from a diverse range of organizations, including Applus+ IDIADA, BASF, CEVT, Eastern Michigan University, General Motors, HBK SVES, Hitachi Astemo Americas, Mcity (University of Michigan – College of Engineering), Multimatic, Stellantis, VI-grade and many more. 

The full conference agenda, including logistics details, is now available for download at https://www2.news.vi-grade.com/NA_ZPS_2023_Official_Program. 

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH VI-GRADE’S FULL RANGE OF SIMULATION, DRIVING SIMULATOR AND HIL SOLUTIONS

As a complement to the insightful technical presentations by leading industry players, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a series of driving simulator sessions tailored to specific automotive applications. In this way attendees can experience for themselves the value VI-grade’s driving simulators bring to the development process.

 The following demo sessions will be available for attendees to explore: 

• Test Drive the brand-new Full-Spectrum (FSS) Simulator for Ride Comfort Studies
• Experience Mixed-Reality on a DESKTOP Simulator
• Conduct HMI and Driving Monitoring Studies on a STATIC Simulator
• Evaluate NVH performance on a DESKTOP NVH and COMPACT NVH Simulator
• See the large DYNAMIC DiM250 Simulator in action for motorsports applications
• Build, tune and validate real-time vehicle models and ADAS scenarios and sensors with VI-CarRealTime and VI-WorldSim
• Test integrated HiL systems with AutoHawk

All registered attendees will receive a link to the online demo booking application shortly before the event. Demo bookings can also be made on-site during the event.

NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR NETWORKING & SOCIALIZING

VI-grade's objective with the ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits extends beyond delivering an exceptional and highly relevant technical program. The company is equally committed to promoting extensive networking opportunities within the industry and connecting users of its technology with one another. 

While the afternoon will be dedicated to customer presentations, participants will have the opportunity to network during the demo sessions in the morning and trade notes on their experiences on the various simulators. 

The one-day event wraps up with an evening reception and informal dinner in a relaxed atmosphere, starting at 6 p.m. Attendees can socialize and discuss both the latest trends in driving simulation and their own progress towards the “Zero Prototypes” vision.

VI-grade would like to acknowledge and thank the following industry partners for their support and sponsorship of the 2023 North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit: 

• DIAMOND: Multimatic
• PLATINUM: Applus+ IDIADA, SAGInoMIYA
• GOLD: Barco, Concurrent Real-Time, cosin scientific software, HBK, Imtec Engineering, MegaRide, Stackpole Engineering
• SILVER: 3D Mapping Solutions, Smart Eye
• VI-CERTIFIED: Hexagon

“As we approach the 2023 North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, I am thrilled to see the overwhelming interest and engagement from our community. With over 130 registrations and a packed agenda featuring industry leaders, interactive demos, and insightful discussions, this event is set to be another milestone in our journey towards the 'Zero Prototypes' vision”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “I’m especially excited about the “Tire Modeling for the Virtual World’ panel to address this complex yet critical topic. We look forward to bringing together the innovators and key players of the global automotive industry to learn how they are currently using simulation and driving simulators to accelerate the development of new vehicles and bring them ever closer to virtual sign-off.”

Limited space is still available for the 2023 North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit. Registration will remain open until capacity is reached. Event registration is available at: 
/en/about/events/users_conferences/2023-na-vi-grade-zero-prototypes-summit-novi-mi-usa/.

Novi, MI, USA; August 2nd, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today released the final agenda for its highly anticipated North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit. Building on the resounding success of its inaugural edition in 2022 with over 130 in-person attendees, this one-day event will take place on September 20th, 2023, at the state-of-the-art Multimatic SimCenter in Novi, MI (suburban Detroit). As with VI-grade’s annual flagship event held at its main technical development center in Udine, Italy, the North American ZERO PROTOTYPES summit will feature a combination of high-level keynote and technical presentations. In addition, attendees can attend application-specific demo sessions to experience VI-grade’s simulation, driving simulator and hardware-in-the-loop technologies first-hand. 
 

• DESKTOP and DESKTOP NVH Simulator 
• COMPACT FSS and COMPACT NVH Simulator
• STATIC Simulator 
• DiM250 DYNAMIC Simulator 

Turin, Italy, July 12th , 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, and Addfor, a leading provider of AI-driven software solutions, today announced the formation of a strategic partnership solidifying VI-grade as the exclusive distributor of Addfor's innovative Sybille® software for the automotive market. Sybille®’s capability of generating real-time value forecasts of signals, effectively eliminates transmission delays and enables control actuation anticipation, thereby accelerating the vehicle development process. 

Addfor's Sybille® software seamlessly integrates with VI-grade’s driving simulators and HiL solutions, elevating their capabilities to new heights. Sybille® harmonizes all simulator cues – ranging from motion, graphics to sound and tire squeal - increasing accuracy and and refining the immersive driving experience.  Sybille®’s AI-based algorithm also facilitates the remote connection of a vehicle model with a driving simulator or a HiL test bench in different locations, significantly transforming global collaboration among the various vehicle development stakeholders. 

By empowering its simulation tools with Artificial Intelligence capabilities, VI-grade is ensuring that its driving simulators and simulation software continue leading the market with innovative solutions for the automotive industry that mirror global megatrends. This reseller agreement enables VI-grade now to directly distribute Sybille® to its customers, further expanding its product offering and reinforcing its leadership position in the driving simulator and HiL market. 

Through this partnership Addfor will now have access to VI-grade's extensive customer base, including leading OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and research centers with over 120+ simulators installed worldwide. This strategic alliance empowers Addfor to further commercialize and establish its Sybille® software in the automotive market by introducing it to VI-grade’s vast network. Additionally, the implementation of Sybille® will extend to VI-grade's SimCenter facilities across the globe, ensuring its availability and accessibility at various automotive hubs.

“We are thrilled to announce our exclusive reseller agreement with Addfor and the addition of their innovative Sybille® software to our product portfolio”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director of VI-grade. “The integration of Sybille® into our driving simulators and HiL solutions unlocks new possibilities for our customers, with the potential to revolutionize their vehicle development process. Moreover, by combining AI-based algorithms with our tools, we are embracing a global megatrend, ensuring that we stay ahead of the curve and effectively meet the ever-evolving demands of the dynamic automotive industry.”

“We are excited to partner with VI-grade and leverage their sales organization as well as extensive customer base to introduce our Sybille® software to the automotive market”, added Ruben Borchetto, Executive Director and Founding Partner of Addfor. “This reseller agreement opens new avenues for Addfor to furher commercialize and establish our innovative AI-based solution in collaboration with VI-grade's global network.”

Udine, Italy, June 29th , 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced it will expand its acclaimed ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit Series globally. Following the highly succesul 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit held in May at VI-grade’s SimCenter Udine (Italy), the company will again expand its premier event to the world’s three major automotive hubs. The upcoming summits will  be held in Novi, (Detroit) MI (USA), Tokyo (Japan), and Zhaoyuan (China), and will showcase VI-grade's commitment to spreading the Zero Prototypes vision and fostering collaboration worldwide.

Building upon the tremendous achievements of the EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, which attracted a record-breaking attendance of over 270 in-person participants and an additional 800 virtual attendees, VI-grade will again bring together automotive OEMs, suppliers, research centers and universities to showcase the progress they’ve made on their journey towards achieving zero prototypes and virtual sign-off. 

VI-grade’s ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit has become a must-attend annual event, providing exclusive insights into how key players in the global automotive industry are currently using simulation, driving simulators and hardware-in-the-loop technologies to accelerate new vehicle development. 

The upcoming ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits are as follows: 

North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit
Date: September 20th, 2023
Location: Multimatic SimCenter Novi in Novi, MI (Suburban Detroit, Michigan)

Returning for its second edition, the NA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit will once again take place at the state-of-the-art Multimatic SimCenter Novi. Keynote and technical speakers from renowned organizations such as General Motors, Hitachi Astemo, Eastern Michigan University and many more will discuss in technical detail the gains they have made towards achieving Zero Prototypes in their development processes. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to attend numerous application-specific demo sessions and gain valuable insights into how VI-grade’s simulation, driving simulator and hardware-in-the-loop technologies have already and will continue to revolutionize the vehicle development process.

Japan ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit
Date: September 21st, 2023
Location: Shinagawa Conference Center in Tokyo, Japan

Now in its third year and held entirely in Japanese, the Japan ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit will feature speakers from industry-leading companies such as Honda R&D, Nissan Bridgestone Japan and many more. The event will also give attendees the opportunity to experience VI-grade’s smaller-scale driving simulators, software and hard-ware-in-the-loop technologies live and in action during interactive demo sessions.

PRC ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit
Date: October 18th, 2023
Location: Applus+ IDIADA’s SimCenter in Zhaoyuan, Yantai, China 
For the first time ever, VI-grade is bringing its renowned ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit to China. Held in local language, this exclusive event is dedicated to executive-level engineering managers and experienced design engineers from the Chinese automotive industry. The summit, hosted at Applus+ IDIADA’s SimCenter in Zhaoyuan, Yantai, will feature industry leading speakers from NIO, CICV, CHERY and many more. As with the other ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits, attendees will have the opportunity to wittness VI-grade’s simulation tools, driving simulators and hardware-in-the-loop technologies live and in action. 

“We look forward to bringing our ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit to North America, Japan and China in fall 2023”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “These extraordinary events aim to unite the automotive industry across continents, fostering collaboration and driving the automotive sector towards an innovative future. This is also a great opportunity for us to demonstrate not only our Zero Prototypes vision and our tools to the Japanese, North American and Chinese communities, but also to gain insights into the remarkable projects and advancements our customers have accomplished using our simulation solutions.”

VI-grade would like to acknowledge and thank the following industry partners for their support and sponsorship of the regional ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits: 

• PLATINUM: Applus+ IDIADA, Multimatic, SAGInoMIYA
• GOLD: Barco, Concurrent Real-Time, cosin scientific software, HBK, Imtec Engineering, MegaRide, Progress Technologies, Solize, Stackpole Engineering Services
• SILVER: 3D Mapping Solutions, Smart Eye
• VI-CERTIFIED: Hexagon

Registration for all three regional ZERO PROTOTYPES Summits is now open at /en/about/events/users_conferences/. Additional details about the events will be added to the VI-grade website as they become available.

Udine, Italy, June 1st , 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced the official recap of its highly succesful 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, which was held from May 23rd – 25th at VI-grade’s SimCenter in Udine, Italy. With a record-breaking attendance of over 270 in-person and additional 800 virtual attendees following the livestream on LinkedIn, this year's ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit marked the largest gathering to-date of VI-grade’s global driving simulator community. 

The summit’s theme of  “Join us on the Road to Zero Prototypes” embodied the journey towards a prototype-free vehicle development process and virtual sign-off, recognizing that the path itself holds immense value. Achieving Zero Prototypes remains the ultimate development goal, and VI-grade customers showcased the significant progress they’ve already made along this journey during the three-day event.
  The 2023 ZPS featured 27 inspiring keynote and technical presentations from renowned simulation thought leaders in the global automotive industry. These industry experts demonstrated how they leverage VI-grade’s simulation, driving simulators, and Hardware-in-the-Loop technologies to accelerate new vehicle development, bringing them ever closer to realizing the vision of Zero Prototypes.

Day 1 of the summit highlighted presentations from market leading companies such as Applus+ IDIADA, Bridgestone EMIA, Bugatti Rimac, CEVT, Dromo, HBK, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maserati, Mazda Motor Corporation, Meccanica 42, MegaRide, Pagani Automobili, Pirelli Tyre, Politecnico di Milano, Tenneco, and Volkswagen.

On Day 2, attendees were treated to presentations from Barco, CAE Value, Chassis Autonomy, Ferrari, Ford Motor Company UK, Hitachi Astemo, HORIBA MIRA, Hyundai METC, Jaguar Land Rover, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Moog, Multimatic, Pirelli Tyre, Politecnico di Milano, and Volvo Cars. 

The PDF versions of the presentations are already available for download on the VI-grade website. The video content will be shared on VI-grade's YouTube channel as it becomes available. The official aftermovie of the event can be found at this link https://youtu.be/3SIcT726wpo. 
  The ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit provided a forum for major announcements pertaining to VI-grade’s business and product developments, including:

• Launch of the COMPACT Full Spectrum Simulator: The summit unveiled VI-grade's new COMPACT FSS Simulator, an unparalleled, significant addition to the company's driving simulator product line. The COMPACT FSS Simulator addresses what had been until now the long-standing demand from vehicle design and development engineers to experience and evaluate ride motion, vibration, and sound within a single, small footprint simulator. 
• Global ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit Series Expansion: Demonstrating VI-grade's commitment to the Zero Prototypes challenge, the company announced the expansion of its global summit series. On September 20th, VI-grade will host its second North American summit at Multimatic SimCenter in Novi, Michigan, followed by a Japanese summit on September 21 in Tokyo. Finally, on October 18th, the first-ever ZPS summit dedicated to the Chinese automotive community will take place at the new SimCenter in Yantai, China, in partnership with Applus+ IDIADA. These events aim to unite the industry across continents, inspiring collaboration and driving the automotive sector towards an innovative future.
• 2023 Virtual Formula Award Ceremony: In tight competition between 130 teams from all over the world, the following winners of the 2023 edition of the Virtual Formula competition were announced during the event:
  • Optimization Category: UniBo Motorsport, Alma Mater University of Bologna, Italy
  • Digital Twin Electric Category: Squadra Corse PoliTO, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
  • Digital Twin Combustion Category: WUT Racing Team, Wuhan University of Technology, China

"The 2023 ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit was an exceptional success, unveiling impressive metrics from our customers. With notable achievements such as a 50% reduction in test time, 30% to 40% reduction in development time, and 98% accuracy in performance prediction using VI-grade tools”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “Once again it was a great pleasure to welcome our valued customers, partners, sponsors and colleagues at our SimCenter Udine, providing them with hands-on experiences on our simulators as well as networking opportunities and high quality keynote and technical presentations. I very much look forward to our upcoming ZERO PROTOPYES Summits in North America, Japan, and China, where we will continue this inspiring journey together” 

INDUSTRY SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
VI-grade would like to acknowledge and thank the following industry partners for their support and sponsorship of the 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit:  

• PLATINUM: Applus+ IDIADA, HORIBA MIRA, SAGInoMIYA
• GOLD: Barco, Concurrent Real-Time, cosin, HBK, Imtec Engineering, Meccanica 42, MegaRide, Moog, Multimatic
• SILVER: 3D Mapping Solutions, domeprojection, Fraunhofer ITWM, Joanneum Research, Konrad Technologies, Rebel Dynamics, Smart Eye, Sound To Sight
• BRONZE: BE CAE & Test, Screenline
• VI-CERTIFIED: Hexagon, rFpro

Udine, Italy, May 17th, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, and Sound To Sight (STS), a visionary company specializing in unique sound design solutions for transportation domains, today announced their strategic partnership. This newly formed alliance brings together the technical and creative expertise of both companies, combining NVH simulation and Active Sound Design to create unparalleded driving experiences for customers worldwide.

The collaboration marks a significant milestone in the field of NVH simulation and Active Sound Design, offering numerous benefits to the automotive industry. Sound To Sight uses a unique, cutting-edge sound design method to create tailored and brand-aligned sound profiles for vehicle manufacturers. Their expertise enables the development of immersive soundscapes that embody a brand’s identity and heritage, evoking powerful emotions. These innovative sound designs can then be accurately reproduced and seamlessly integrated into VI-grade's NVH simulator allowing test drivers and decision makers to experience and evaluate them first-hand during simulated driving scenarios. This empowers vehicle manufacturers to first create unique sound designs with Sound To Sight and immediately test-drive them in VI-grade's NVH simulator, reducing the need for physical prototypes. 

“We’re excited to enter into this new strategic partnership with Sound To Sight”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “Combining Sound To Sight’s sound design expertise together with real-time human-in-the-loop virtual prototype simulations provided by VI-grade simulators exemplifies our commitment to the zero-prototype strategy. Vehicle design and development teams can decide on the exact right sound of the vehicle, evaluating the holistic vehicle experience of the sound design sound in context with all other sounds, vibration, motion and other factors in a dynamic, virtual environment, much more efficiently, and long before, a physical prototype could be made.”

“We are thrilled about this new partnership, which has already demonstrated success through a collaborative customer project in 2022 with a renowned Italian car manufacturer”, added Antoine Châron, Co-founder of Sound To Sight. “VI-grade and STS have worked together on an interior active sound design project, achieving impressive results thanks to the synergistic expertise of the two companies. We look forward to embark on this strategic partnership and pushing the boundaries of unique sound design”

In addition, Sound To Sight will participate as a SILVER sponsor in VI-grade’s ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, to be held on May 23-25, at SimCenter Udine. At their booth, Sound To Sight will show a selection of their sound designs on a VI-grade NVH DESKTOP Simulator for all attendees to experience live

Udine, Italy, May 11th, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced the final agenda for its highly anticipated 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, to be held from May 23 - 25, 2023 at SimCenter Udine. In addition to the physical event, already at 95% capacity, VI-grade will also offer a live broadcast on LinkedIn of all summit presentations for those unable to attend in-person. 

SLATE OF SPEAKERS BOASTS A WHO’S WHO AMONG GLOBAL SIMULATION THOUGHT LEADERS

With over 20 high-level technical presentations to select from, attendees will hear first-hand from simulation thought leaders in the global automotive industry. These industry leaders will showcase how they employ VI-grade’s simulation, driving simulators and Hardware-in-the-Loop technologies to accelerate new vehicle development and get ever closer to  the “zero prototypes” vision. 

Attendees will gain valuable insights from Applus+ IDIADA, Bugatti Rimac, Bridgestone EMIA, CEVT, Chassis Autonomy, Dromo, Ferrari, Ford Motor Company, Hitachi Astemo, HORIBA MIRA, Hyundai METC, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati, Mazda Motor Corporation, Mahindra & Mahindra, MegaRide, Multimatic, Pagani Automobili, Pirelli, Politecnico di Milano, Porsche, Volkswagen, and Volvo Cars, as they demonstrate their use of VI-grade technology to reduce the need for physical prototypes. 

For those unable to attend in person, the LinkedIn Live stream of the summit presentations provides an excellent opportunity to join the conversation and stay abreast of the latest advancements in automotive simulation technology. The official summit program is also available for download at https://www2.news.vi-grade.com/EMEA_ZPS2023_Official_Program 

“We are excited to bring together global simulation thought leaders at our 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “This year’s program promises to be our most comprehensive yet and we look forward to showcasing the innovative ways in which our customers are using simulation to accelerate vehicle development and reduce the need for physical prototypes. The fact that the summit is almost at full capacity is a testament to the importance of this topic for the automotive industry.” 

Limited space is still available for the in-person 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit.  Registration will remain open until capacity is reached.   Event registration is available at /en/about/events/users_conferences/2023-emea-vi-grade-zero-prototypes-summit-udine-italy/ 

Registration for the live broadcast will be done through LinkedIn.

Registration for conference day 1: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7062391966650523648/ 

Registration for conference day 2: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7062395071840571393/

2023年5月4日，美国密歇根州大急流城 --以人为中心的仿真驱动车辆开发解决方案全球供应商VI-grade今天宣布推出新的紧凑型全频谱模拟器( FSS )，并将于2023年5月15 - 18日在密歇根州大急流城举行的SAE噪声和振动会议及展览会上亮相。新的紧凑型 FSS模拟器扩展了VI-grade驾驶模拟器的产品线，满足了迄今为止车辆设计和开发工程师在单个小占地面积驾驶模拟器中体验和评估乘坐运动、振动和声音的未解决需求。
驾驶模拟器通常只关注一个属性，在车辆评价过程中存在局限性。现在，通过提供从0.5 Hz到20kHz的全频谱、多属性仿真，VI-grade的突破性紧凑型FSS模拟器可以让评估人员同时体验一次和二次驾驶运动、振动和声音，将车辆动力学和NVH应用结合在一个紧凑型模拟器中。与传统的六足模拟器相比，紧凑型 FSS适用于乘坐舒适性评价、汽车运动应用、座椅评价和整车精细化表征，提供了更经济实惠的选择。由于其占地面积小，可以很容易地布置在工程办公室中。这种新颖独特的驾驶模拟器进一步强调和展示了VI-grade在帮助汽车行业加速车辆开发过程以及设计工程师创新能力方面的承诺。

VI-grade产品管理高级总监Dave Bogema说：“新的紧凑型FSS模拟器是进行深入和准确的虚拟样机评估的理想工具，使工程师能够更有信心地做出车辆设计决策。在VI-grade AutoHawk实时计算机的支持下，紧凑型 FSS模拟器将帮助工程师体验车辆的多种属性，并真正评估和理解汽车的感受和声音，而不需要物理样机。”

新的紧凑型FSS模拟器将在SAE噪声和振动会议展览会上推出，参会者可以在# 311展位现场和现场体验。VI-grade将与母公司HBK一同亮相，共同传递"创新的信心- -赋能创新者"的信息。

对于欧洲汽车客户和无法参加SAE噪声和振动会议的客户，VI-grade将于5月24 - 25日在Udine仿真中心举行的ZERO PROTOTYPES峰会上展示新的紧凑型 FSS模拟器。欲了解更多信息并报名参加活动，请访问/en/about/events/users_conferences/2023-emea-vi-grade-zero-prototypes-summit-udine-italy/ 
 

中国北京，2023年4月26日– VI-grade，以人为中心的仿真驱动汽车开发解决方案的全球提供商，今日宣布在中国智能网联汽车研究院( CICV )成功安装和调试线缆驱动的DiM400驾驶模拟器。该驾驶模拟器已安装在中国北京CICV，目前可供汽车主机厂和供应商租用，用于智能底盘、智能驾驶舱和智能驾驶的开发。

除了为中国汽车工业提供先进技术开发和加速创新的高水平工程服务外，CICV还将应用DiM400作为其服务平台的一部分，包括仿真与传感器测试、驾驶员在环实验室、车辆在环实验室、现场与道路实验室、EEI架构实验室、网络安全实验室、OTA实验室和试制中心。

“驾驶员在环方法是一种改进和验证智能网联汽车的先进测试方法，VI-grade的线缆驱动 DiM400驾驶模拟器具有高动态性能，不仅支持传统底盘开发，还支持驾驶舱优化和智能驾驶”，测试 CICV测试公司副总裁詹海婷表示。“凭借这种新的模拟器和其他测试能力，国家智库领导的CICV测试公司正在打造一个具有支持先进技术开发和技术转移的创新生态系统的服务平台。’’

VI-grade总经理Guido Bairati说：“我们很高兴地宣布我们的DiM400驾驶模拟器在CICV成功安装，将我们的电缆驱动模拟器技术带入中国汽车市场。Di M400是CICV的最优工具，是对其现有研究和工程服务能力的完美补充。得益于其创新的线缆驱动系统允许扩展的运动范围，DiM400提供了高度逼真的驾驶体验和沉浸感，这对于智能网联汽车的发展是必不可少的。”

DiM400模拟器配备了VI-grade软件，用于运动提示、车辆模型、图形环境和主动技术管理。此外，驾驶舱还包括用于驾驶员生物信号采集和处理的设备，以及用于高级ADAS和HMI仿真的驾驶员监控系统。
 

Udine, Italy, April 5th, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced the preliminary agenda of its 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, to be held from May 24th – 25th, 2023 at its SimCenter in Udine, Italy. The Summit kicks off with a reception for all attendees on May 23rd at 6pm, followed by a 2-day conference packed with high-level Keynote and technical presentations as well as live driving simulator demos. The Summit concludes on May 26th with user group meetings and software training sessions. 

Building on last year’s success which attracted over 220 in-person attendees, the 2023 ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit once again boasts a top-tier selection of speakers from industry-renowned companies, providing attendees with exclusive insights into their journey towards zero prototypes and virtual sign-off. Specifically curated, high-level keynote and technical presentations will feature representatives from Applus+ IDIADA, Bugatti Rimac, CEVT, Chassis Autonomy, CICV, Dromo, Ford Motor Company, Hitachi Astemo, HORIBA MIRA, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda Motor Corporation, MegaRide, Multimatic, Pirelli, Politecnico di Milano, Volkswagen and Volvo Cars. Additional presenters will be announced shortly.

New State-of-the-Art Driving Simulator to be Unveiled at EMEA Zero Prototypes Summit
One of the major highlights of this year’s summit will be the debut of a new, state-of-the-art driving simulator. As an added bonus of attending the Summit, ZPS attendees can be among the first to test drive it. Participants can also experience VI-grade’s entire family of driving simulators in exclusive, dedicated demo sessions.  These sessions will provide attendees with an invaluable firsthand experience where they will gain insight into how VI-grade's simulation tools add value to the development process.

“We are excited to unveil the preliminary agenda of our highly anticipated 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “These presentations will provide our valued customers, partners and followers with exclusive insights into how key players in the global automotive industry are currently using simulation and driving simulators to accelerate the development of new vehicles and bring them ever closer to virtual sign-off.”

Sponsors and Dedicated Exhibition Area
VI-grade would like to acknowledge and thank the following industry partners for their support and sponsorship of the 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit:  

• PLATINUM: HORIBA MIRA, SAGInoMIYA
• GOLD: Applus+ IDIADA, Barco, Concurrent Real-Time, HBK, Imtec Engineering, Meccanica 42, MegaRide, Multimatic
• SILVER: 3D Mapping Solutions, domeprojection, Fraunhofer ITWM, Konrad Technologies, Smart Eye
• BRONZE: BE CAE & Test, Screenline
• VI-CERTIFIED: rFpro

Sponsors will be present both at the dedicated exhibition area where they’ll showcase their technologies, as well as at live demo sessions, where their products and solutions are also directly integrated into VI-grade’s driving simulators.

Registration for the 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit is open at https://conference.vi-grade.com/. Additional details about the event will be added to the VI-grade website as they become available.

Darmstadt, Germany; March 23rd , 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, Chassis Autonomy, an Anglo-Swedish start-up that designs and manufactures fail-operational actuation systems for highly automated and fully autonomous vehicles, and CAE Value, a Swedish tech company that provides high-end simulation and optimization solutions, today announced a strategic partnership specifically focused on improving the way chassis components such as steering systems for autonomous vehicles are designed, tested, and validated. 

This strategic partnership provides all three companies with mutually beneficial collaboration opportunities to strategically advance autonomous vehicle development, providing significant advantages for the autonomous vehicle market as well as for their respective companies. This partnership allows VI-grade to apply its simulation software, driving simulator and Hardware-in-the-Loop technology to the ADAS/AV market, implementing specific L3, L4 and L5 testing scenarios to be used at VI-grade’s  SimCenters worldwide. These will also be made available on VI-grade’s VI-CarRealTime and VI-WorldSim simulation software platforms. Chassis Autonomy will gain access to VI-grade’s virtual test systems to both develop and demonstrate the capability of their products to their existing and prospective customers in a fully virtual test environment, all the while supported by CAE Value’s technical experts. 

"We are excited to enter into this strategic partnership with Chassis Autonomy and CAE Value," said Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “Their expertise in fail-operational actuation, for highly automated and fully autonomous vehicles are designed to maintain normal steering operation, even in the event of a system fault, which perfectly complements our own virtual test solutions. This partnership will allow all three companies to leverage each other's unique strengths, reinforce our value propositions and expand our customer base, potentially creating even more cross-selling options where the use of driving simulators is indispensable.”

"We are thrilled to partner with VI-grade and CAE Value," commented Thomas Li, Co-founder and CTO at Chassis Autonomy. "This collaboration advances our ability to both develop products and demonstrate the performance of our steering system products in a virtual environment using VI-grade’s driving simulators and software. The opportunity to introduce VI-grade’s extensive automotive customer base to our products and solutions is especially mutually advantageous.”

“We are very excited to partner with VI-grade and Chassis Autonomy and look forward to supporting Chassis Autonomy and incorporating VI-grade’s technology into their development process for Autonomous Vehicles”, said Johnny Engström, co-founder and CEO at CAE Value. 

Chassis Autonomy will present on "Developing Fail-operational L3, L4, and L5 Chassis Actuation Systems using an Integrated DiL and HiL Approach" during VI-grade's 2023 ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, which will take place on May 24-25, 2023, in Udine, Italy. 

For further information on Chassis Autonomy, please visit https://www.chassisautonomy.com 

For further information on CAE Value please visit https://www.caevalue.com/

Udine, Italy, March 9th, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced the preliminary roster of speakers and sponsors for its 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit, to be held on May 24th – 25th, 2023. The Summit will kick off with a reception for all attendees on May 23rd at 6pm. As in the previous year, the in-person event will be held at VI-grade’s state-of-the-art SimCenter facility in Udine, located in the north-east of Italy.

The 2023 ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit is specifically tailored to the global driving simulator community, providing attendees with exclusive insights into how industry-leading OEMs, suppliers, universities and research centers leverage VI-grade’s cutting-edge simulation, driving simulator and hardware-in-the-loop technology to reduce their reliance on physical prototypes in their quest to ultimately attain virtual sign-off. Specifically curated, high-level keynote and technical presentations will feature representatives from Applus+ IDIADA, CEVT, Ford, HORIBA MIRA, Mazda, Pirelli, Politecnico di Milano, and Volvo Cars. Additional presenters will be announced shortly.

ATTENDEES CAN EXPERIENCE VI-grade’s DRIVING SIMULATORS FIRST-HAND

In addition to a high-caliber speaker lineup, attendees can sign up for exclusive driving simulator sessions, where they can experience firsthand how VI-grade’s leading simulation tools add value to the development process. These tools provide significant advantages and benefits as the development process is refined and made more human-centric. 

SUPPLEMENTAL, HANDS-ON TECHNICAL TRAINING SESSIONS

In addition to keynote presentations and product demos, VI-grade is also offering on-site workshops for its flagship software products, VI-CarRealTime and VI-WorldSim. These fee-based training courses will take place on May 26th and are aimed at experienced users who want to expand their existing product knowledge as well as learn about the new functionalities and capabilities of VI-grade’s Software products. 

The 2023 ZPS event will also host two complimentary User Group sessions on May 26th for Driving Simulator and NVH customers, respectively. These User Group sessions will provide  valuable insights into the latest advancements in capabilities and technology development. Additionally, attendees will have a unique opportunity to share feedback and make requests directly to the VI-grade product development teams. This interaction will help to ensure that the needs and concerns of customers are addressed in future developments, thereby further enhancing the value of this annual must-attend event.

“We are excited to unveil the first lineup of speakers and sponsors for our highly anticipated 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit”, commented Guido Bairati, Managing Director at VI-grade. “These presentations will provide our valued customers, partners and followers with exclusive insights into how key players in the global automotive industry are currently using simulation and driving simulators to accelerate the development of new vehicles and bringing them ever closer to virtual sign-off.”

VI-grade would like to acknowledge and thank the following industry partners for their support and sponsorship of the 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit: 

• PLATINUM: Rebel Dynamics, SAGInoMIYA
• GOLD: Applus+ IDIADA, Barco, Concurrent Real-Time, HBK, Imtec Engineering, Meccanica 42, MegaRide, Multimatic
• SILVER: 3D Mapping Solutions, domeprojection, Fraunhofer ITWM
• BRONZE: BE CAE & Test, Screenline
• VI-CERTIFIED: rFpro

Sponsors will be present both at the dedicated exhibition area where they’ll showcase their technologies, as well as at live demo sessions, where their products and solutions are also directly integrated into VI-grade’s driving simulators.

Registration for the 2023 EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit is now open at https://conference.vi-grade.com/. Additional details about the event will be added to the VI-grade website as they become available.

Tokyo, Japan, March 2^nd, 2023 – VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, today announced the introduction of an extended version of its DiM250 DYNAMIC Driving Simulator at PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group, a premier Japanese engineering service provider closely collaborating with key players in the Japanese automotive industry. The Driving Simulator, to be installed at PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group’s new engineering site, is based on the same patented architecture as VI-grade’s DiM250 model, but with extended workspace through longer tripod actuators.

With the acquisition of this advanced driving simulator, PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group will be able to provide high-level virtual testing services to Japanese automobile manufacturers and suppliers. The group aims to solve challenges faced by all manufacturing industries, including enhancing development efficiency, product quality, and shortening development time using digital and virtual technologies.

“We are thrilled to incorporate the renowned VI-grade DiM driving simulator into our upcoming engineering facility,” said Nakayama Gakuto, CEO of PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group. “The Driving Simulator not only allows us to refine conventional automobile driving skills such as running, stopping, and turning, but also to safely perform functional verification of automatic driving systems and advanced safety control systems."

“On the other hand, the Driving Simulator is a valuable testing equipment which requires a high-level technical expertise to master. To remove this barrier, we aim to promote wider usage of the Driving Simulator by more automotive companies. By doing so, we can offer our customers an unparalleled simulation and virtual testing environment to streamline their automotive development. We are convinced that the benefits will be even greater when combined with our existing engineering technologies and the MBSE and MBD technologies that we have been focusing on in recent years. Since interdisciplinary research on driving simulators is not as prevalent in Japan as it is in Europe, we actively seek collaborations with Japanese universities and research institutes to contribute to fields such as ergonomics."

"We are excited to have PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group adopt an extended version of our DiM250 DYNAMIC Simulator in their new engineering site, which will bring their customers one step closer to zero prototypes," commented Toru Yoshii, Japan County Manager at VI-grade. “The driving simulator will enable PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group to offer the highest quality engineering services to their customers, while also significantly advancing own research projects for next-generation vehicles.”

About PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES
PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group is a passionate and highly skilled team of engineers in the mechanical, electrical/electronic, and software/IT fields. With the theme of manufacturing innovation, we are offering technical services in the design development process to major manufacturers in Japan.

PROGRESS TECHNOLOGIES Group has recently built a special team of highly skilled software engineers to scale its software solution offering to the existing manufacturing companies as well as other companies in different industries. The new division will be mainly focusing on: UI/UX design, cloud architecture design and consulting (AWS, Azure, GCP) and cloud-native web & mobile applications development.

The company is working on creating unique products that offer new experiences for customers.

For further information, please visit https://progresstech.jp

2023年2月15日，德国达姆施塔特——VI-grade今天宣布Dallara采用了AutoHawk，Dallara是一家世界知名的专门从事高性能竞赛汽车设计、开发和生产的公司。为了跟上车辆模型日益复杂的步伐，以及车队对缩短开发周期的高要求，Dallara现在已经在其研发过程中集成了VI-grade的新Concurrent Real-Time 硬件在环平台。

采用强大的16核实时系统AutoHawk 16后，Dallara将可以在其驾驶模拟器(静态和动态) 中运行使用复杂的车辆动态模型、轮胎模型，并连接硬件在环子系统，包括车辆和动力系统ECUs以及湿制动系统。使用AutoHawk 16, Dallara将可以实现更可靠和更精确的模拟仿真，因为工作负载可以分配到多个内核上，确保硬件实时需求得到满足。此次采用还将确保Dallara驾驶模拟器在未来几年的性能和灵活性。

Dallara的DiL和赛道性能主管Alessandro Moroni评论道:“有了新的AutoHawk 16，我们有信心提升我们的能力，为来自全球各地的赛车团队提供卓越的高性能赛车和无与伦比的技术支持。我们很高兴在模拟仿真性能方面更进一步，为我们的客户带来更多价值。”

“我们很荣幸能与Dallara合作，为他们提供在竞争激烈的赛车行业继续取得成功所需的工具。AutoHawk的整合强调了行业对包含硬件、软件和集成服务的低成本、完整和开放解决方案不断增长的需求。这突出了VI-grade先进的模拟器解决方案带来的价值，使公司在不断发展的行业中保持领先。”VI-grade EMEA HiL销售经理Alessandro Baldari补充道。

有关VI-grade AutoHawk的更多信息，请访问 /en/products/autohawk/

Darmstadt, Germany, February 2nd, 2023 – VI-grade, the simulation and driving simulator company that accelerates product innovation by bridging the gap between simulation and physical testing, today announced its updated 2023 event and webinar calendar leading the quest to Zero Prototypes. In an effort to attract as many attendees as possible from the global automotive industry, VI-grade has re-scheduled the EMEA, North American and Japanese Summits as follows: 

1. International / EMEA ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit: SimCenter Udine (Italy) on May 24-25, 2023 (NEW DATE)
2. North American ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit: Multimatic SimCenter in Novi, MI (USA) on September 20, 2023 (NEW DATE)
3. Japan ZERO PROTOTYPES Summit: Tokyo (Japan) on September 21, 2023

Spurred by the success of previous ZPS events, VI-grade will once again provide its community with exclusive insights into how major global players in the automotive industry are actively using simulation, driving simulators and HiL in their quest to achieve Zero Prototypes and virtual sign-off. Attendees at the ZPS events will have the unique opportunity to test drive and experience VI-grade’s simulators live. They’ll also hear first-hand from industry experts applying VI-grade’s solutions to achieve incredible results in their quest to dramatically reduce development time while also expanding innovation. Additional information on the individual events as well as a first round of speakers and sponsors will be announced shortly.  

 In Q1 VI-grade is hosting a series of free webinars and events on multiple platforms und media outlets to illustrate to a broader global audience details and examples of how VI-grade is bringing the automotive industry ever closer towards Zero Prototypes. Presented by Michael Hoffmann, VI-grade’s Zero Prototypes expert, these webinars will outline how companies can transition from a prototype-heavy testing environment to an upfront-driven approach, making product development more human-centric. 

Save the following dates to learn more about key strategies and critical success factors that drastically reduce the need for physical prototypes:

• Webinar “On the Road to Zero Prototypes” hosted by Mobex by Automotive World (English) on February 8th, 2023 at 4pm CET
• Webinar “On the Road to Zero Prototypes” hosted by Jishulink (Chinese) on March 1st, 2023 at 4pm CST
• Webinar “On the Road to Zero Prototypes” hosted by GoToWebinar (Japanese) March 2nd, 2023 at 4pm JST
• Webinar “The Road to Zero Prototypes: How to Dramatically Decrease the Need for Physical Prototypes” hosted by SAE (English) on March 7th, 2023 at 1pm ET
• “Der Weg zur prototypenfreien Entwicklung” hosted by ATZ (German) on March 16th, 2023 at 10am CET

“At VI-grade we are excited to drive our Zero Prototypes strategy forward and lead the way in the quest to achieve virtual sign-off. As the automotive industry moves towards an upfront simulation-driven approach, removing the bottleneck of subjective evaluation through physical prototypes is crucial for achieving virtual sign-off” commented Michael Hoffmann, Senior Expert in Simulation Driven Development at VI-grade. “In our upcoming events and webinars we will highlight how to make product development more human-centric, enabling engineers, managers and customer focus groups to assess the driving experience throughout the development process and ultimately remove the bottleneck for achieving zero prototypes."