Toyota and Maplesoft Partner to Advance Model-Based Product Development

Companies enter multiyear partnership to produce new tools for knowledge-rich physical modeling that will enhance Toyota's Model-Based Development processes.

The MBD concept involves creating a computer-based model of a system to analyze, test, improve, and optimize the design before building the physical system. Tools developed by Maplesoft reportedly will provide the fundamental mathematical framework for physical modeling within the MBD throughout Toyota. All areas of engineering development, including engines, transmissions, suspensions, braking systems, climate-control systems, and in-vehicle electronics, are expected to use of the new set of modeling tools.

"Mathematical environments such as Maple have many advantages," said Jim Cooper, president and CEO of Maplesoft. "By describing the complex, acausal relationships of a physical model in a clear and efficient way, Maple enables simplification and optimization, taming the complexity of large models and reducing development and testing time. Furthermore, the Maple document environment makes solutions more readable and understandable, rendering knowledge capture and reuse simple and effective. We are delighted to partner with Toyota in this innovative venture."

Maplesoft and Toyota also are working together to lead a Physical Modeling Consortium, which is bringing together leaders in the automotive industry to share ideas and advance the development of rapid plant-modeling methodology based on symbolic computation.