Synopsys and Vector Informatik have announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing the transition to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) in the automotive industry. This collaboration will provide pre-integrated solutions that combine Vector’s expertise in software development with Synopsys’ leadership in digital twin technology for electronics.
The partnership is designed to help automotive manufacturers streamline software validation and enhance developer productivity. By enabling earlier stages of software testing, it promises to accelerate software development and deployment across the entire lifecycle of a vehicle.
With increasing pressure to shift from traditional sequential design to agile, continuous development workflows, automotive companies face growing complexity. This shift is necessary to support a wider range of vehicle platforms and variants, mitigate the limitations of physical testing, and ease collaboration with suppliers. The industry’s current software toolchains need a more efficient, comprehensive, and automated approach to development—a solution that the collaboration between Vector and Synopsys seeks to provide.
By combining their expertise, Vector and Synopsys aim to reduce development costs, accelerate iteration cycles, and enhance the overall quality of software, from early-stage compliance checks to over-the-air updates and ongoing data collection. The initial focus of the partnership is on advancing the open-source SIL Kit, a critical tool for enabling vehicle-level digital twins. Additionally, both companies plan to integrate Vector’s MICROSAR embedded software and CANoe with Synopsys’ Silver and Virtualizer Development Kits (VDKs) to offer pre-configured virtual electronic control units (vECUs) that support all types of ECUs within an SDV framework.
Joachim Fetzer, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Marelli, commented, “The collaboration between Vector and Synopsys is a step forward in integrating tools that streamline development processes. This is especially valuable in creating and utilizing digital twins for the early simulation and validation of complex systems. We look forward to using these tools to further our shift towards a fully digital development environment for our electronic product portfolio.”
Tom De Schutter, Senior Vice President at Synopsys, noted, “The shift to software-defined vehicles requires automakers to overhaul their software development and validation processes to reduce time-to-market. With over 50 OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers relying on our virtual prototyping technologies, Synopsys is a key player in enabling automotive electronics digital twins. By combining this with Vector’s expertise in automotive software tools, we can accelerate development and improve efficiency throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle.”
Marcus Eggenberger, Vice President of Software Factory at Vector Informatik, added, “By integrating Synopsys’ virtualization tools that enable digital twins for electronics with our Software Factory, automotive companies can scale up their verification and validation efforts. This partnership helps OEMs and software suppliers improve quality, reduce costs, and foster innovation within the automotive sector.”
Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS) is at the forefront of the pervasive intelligence era, delivering trusted, comprehensive silicon-to-systems design solutions. From electronic design automation to silicon IP and system verification and validation, Synopsys collaborates closely with semiconductor and systems customers across various industries. Their goal is to maximize R&D capabilities and productivity, fueling today’s innovation to inspire tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
Vector is a leading provider of software tools and components for developing software-based electronic systems and their networking. With 35 years of experience, Vector understands the intricacies of software and electronics development.
As “simplifiers,” the team at Vector makes technology development easier for customers worldwide, contributing to their success. They achieve this through cutting-edge solutions, including software tools, embedded software, and cloud technologies, driven by a passion for technology and a commitment to delivering top-tier performance.
Vector currently employs over 4,500 people globally and reported sales of EUR 1.01 billion in 2024. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, the company operates subsidiaries in Brazil, China, France, the UK, India, Italy, Japan, Austria, Romania, Sweden, South Korea, Spain, and the USA.
