Electronics continue to infiltrate all aspects of automotive design as consumer demand for safety, performance, fuel efficiency, and reliability continues to grow. Automotive design relies on an efficient exchange of design information across the supply chain. Electronic design incorporates semiconductor, FPGA, PCB, sub-system, system, and software design. Integrating all these aspects of electronics requires careful attention to component design and system interactions to reduce costs and warranty recalls, meet performance specification, and enhance vehicle reliability.

Synopsys has the tools you need for electronic automotive design including:

• IC – design and verify advanced mixed-signal ICs for complex automotive functions
• FPGA – use flexible FPGAs to quickly support new electrical functions
• PCB – integrate and verify PCB designs in the supply chain flow
• Mechatronic systems – design and verify individual components and systems interaction to increase reliability and reduce costs using Robust Design methodologies
• HW/SW co-design – integrate and test embedded software controls and visualize the impact on systems

Synopsys has the tools and methodologies necessary for today’s complex automotive designs from silicon to full systems. Synopsys automotive solutions can help:

• Reduce warranty recalls by increasing component and system reliability
• Respond to changing consumer requirements in safety, fuel efficiency, communication, and performance
• Reduce design cycle time with virtual prototyping & verification tools
• Verify electronic function at the IC, FPGA, PCB, mechatronic system, and embedded software level
• Develop IC designs requiring specialized device types for power and reliability in harsh environments
• Create mixed-signal, full-custom and standard cell ICs for communication, body and engine control, safety, fuel, emissions, and other automotive functions
• Use embedded software to control functions and enhance performance
• Verify component and system interaction across multiple physical domains (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, magnetic)
• Deploy reliability and Robust Design methodologies to reduce cost and meet performance criteria
• Exchange model information across the design chain to ensure accuracy and system reliability

IC Design & Verification
Automotive semiconductors have revolutionized vehicle design, making it possible to precisely control and manage an array of functions previously serviced by several systems. Integrated circuits common in automotive design include analog/mixed-signal, DSPs, and ECUs networked together to provide critical functions such as safety, vehicle dynamics, communications, engine and powertrain controls, etc. Synopsys is a world leader in IC and SoC design tools for automotive design including IC implementation, verification, and manufacturing, for efficient and cost-effective semiconductor design in harsh environments.

IC Manufacturing
Automotive design requires specialized device types for power and reliability. Synopsys offers leading-edge design for manufacturing and technology exploration (TCAD) tools to ensure the most appropriate device designs for specific automotive applications to ensure efficient operation, long-term reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

FPGA Design
FPGAs provide the flexibility to quickly support new electrical functions without committing to the cost and design cycle time of traditional ASICs or ASSPs. Synopsys has a full-range of FPGA design and verification tools.

PCB Design
Integrate PCB designs in the supply chain flow. We partner with leading PCB design tool providers to incorporate chip & FPGA design. Synopsys also provides industry recognized simulation and analysis for PCB verification.

Systems Design – Mechatronic & Software
Embedded Software Systems provide enormous flexibility for electrical and mechatronic systems, cutting development time and saving costs. However, embedded software has also been the source of reliability issues that are hard to diagnose prior to production. Synopsys facilitates a virtual platform to develop, test, and verify hardware/software interaction much earlier in the design process. Mechatronic Systems combine aspects of mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines to control and drive vehicle operations. Mechatronic design tools help design and verify individual components and systems interaction to increase reliability, reduce costs, and meet performance criteria. Learn more about implementing Robust Design methods in automotive systems.