The ANSYS acquisition of optical simulation leader OPTIS has now been finalized, making ANSYS the industry leader of autonomous vehicle simulation on the planet.
OPTIS, as you may recall, was previously the world’s largest simulation company dealing with optics, LiDAR, human vision and physics-based simulation, and had developed a photorealistic VR platform for simulating automotive vehicle sensors.
Now that the company has been acquired by ANSYS, ANSYS users will have access to the whole gamut of optical simulation capabilities previously offered by OPTIS—all integrated into the ANSYS multiphysics platform, meaning that all sensors, systems and physics simulations can be run in the same environment. This functionality can be integrated into a closed-loop simulation environment that interacts with weather and traffic simulators, enabling thousands of driving scenarios to be executed virtually.
As a result, autonomous vehicle designers will now have greater flexibility and capability with their designs, meaning that the time to market for those designs can be significantly reduced.
“As the industry races to develop safe autonomous vehicles, a comprehensive sensor solution is critical to autonomous vehicle development,” said Jacques Delacour, OPTIS president and CEO. “Joining ANSYS enables us to provide the best radar, LiDAR and camera simulation in the market within one toolset. Together we will significantly speed the development of autonomous vehicles.”
The financial impact of autonomous vehicles is enormous, with analysts predicting that this emerging technology will boost the global economy by $7 trillion. But its impact on human life could be even more significant: autonomous vehicles have the potential to dramatically reduce traffic accidents, saving more than 600,000 lives annually. Before they drive the highways in large numbers, though, autonomous vehicles must first be proven safe through rigorous testing in complex driving environments, including boundless road conditions and weather scenarios.
Typically, autonomous vehicles require billions and billions of miles of testing before they are ready for the public—the new optical simulation capability in ANSYS will cut that testing down significantly.
“More than 90 percent of automotive accidents are caused by human error, and autonomous vehicles have the potential to virtually eliminate accidents,” said Eric Bantegnie, vice president and general manager of ANSYS. “By providing the most accurate and comprehensive multidisciplinary and cross-functional simulation technology on the market, ANSYS—along with OPTIS technology—will help bring safe, reliable autonomous vehicles to market sooner, reducing automotive accidents and deaths.”
And, as they say, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
One happy gander who will see the immediate benefits of the acquisition is LED light manufacturer eLumigen, which is currently a customer of both OPTIS and ANSYS.
“ANSYS’ leading multiphysics analysis coupled with OPTIS’ optical capabilities will drive eLumigen’s next-generation solutions with a multiphysics approach to optical simulation solutions,” said Mahendra Dassanayake, chief technology officer of eLumigen. “eLumigen is an existing customer of both ANSYS and OPTIS. The acquisition will further spur innovation and enable us to jumpstart the competition.”