A New Era in Automotive Design Requires a New Era in Simulation Tools

Automotive design is going through one of its most profound changes since the gasoline engine eclipsed steam power. Fuel prices and growing environmental concerns have made efficiency the biggest prerogative in vehicle design since the gas shocks of the early 1970s. President Obama’s 2011 agreement with 13 large automakers to increase the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards from 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks today, to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, will affect vehicle design priorities throughout the automotive industry.