Key topics on this year’s agenda include:

• Data Integration Strategies: Managing the integration of diverse data sources such as CAD, CAE, and testing systems is crucial for automotive development. Effective workflows, tools, and practices help maintain data integrity and transform large datasets into actionable insights that drive innovation.
• Elevating Data Quality: Ensuring data accuracy is essential for reliable decision-making in automotive CAE. Inconsistencies or errors in data can compromise analyses and designs, making data quality management a key factor for successful engineering outcomes.
• Enhancing Model Accuracy: Accurate simulation models are essential for reliable real-world application in automotive CAE. Validation with robust experimental data ensures the accuracy of these models, reducing errors introduced by necessary simplifications in modelling processes.
• Overcoming Skill Gaps: As CAE software grows in complexity, continuous training and knowledge transfer within teams are critical. Addressing skill shortages and ensuring retention of expertise are essential for maintaining high model accuracy and tool effectiveness.
• Regulatory Compliance: In automotive design, compliance with safety and environmental standards is crucial. Accurate modelling and documentation practices help ensure adherence to changing regulations while enhancing overall design integrity.
• Real-Time Simulation and Analysis: Accelerating development cycles requires achieving model accuracy alongside rapid simulations. Balancing the speed of simulation-driven design with physical testing ensures reliability while meeting the demand for faster product development.
• Integrating Emerging Technologies: Adoption of AI, machine learning, and digital twins into CAE workflows is vital for future innovation. Continuous learning and adaptation to emerging technologies enhance efficiency, driving innovation in automotive design and development.
• IT Fragmentation and Integration: Addressing the challenges of fragmented IT systems in product development fosters better collaboration and streamlines workflows. Unified systems help reduce redundancies, enhancing efficiency and speeding up time-to-market.
• Sustainability in CAE: CAE tools play a pivotal role in developing eco-friendly automobiles by enabling the design of lightweight and energy-efficient vehicles. Simulations optimize material use and reduce emissions while meeting performance and regulatory standards.
• Digital Twin Technology: The use of Digital Twins in CAE enhances product development by simulating real-world performance and predicting failures. This technology reduces testing costs and bridges the gap between virtual simulations and physical applications.