Tesla Motors Boosts Production Capabilities with Mentor Graphics Electrical Design Software

WILSONVILLE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ:MENT) today announced that electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors has standardized on the Mentor Graphics® Capital® toolset for 12-volt electrical systems design. After evaluating alternative solutions, Tesla concluded that the Capital toolset matched the two key selection criteria: strong electrical system configuration control, and a well-established base within leading automotive wire harness suppliers.

“Model S has very advanced electrical systems with tremendous configuration complexity. It has been vital, during our ramp up to full production, that the logistical integration and effective sharing of data with our suppliers was seamless”

As production volumes grew, it became important to ensure robust, vehicle-specific data exchange with Tesla’s wire harness suppliers. The Capital toolset is a powerful electrical systems software environment spanning vehicle architecture, systems design and integration, service documentation creation, and wire harness manufacturing tools. Configuration management is a core strength of the Capital toolset, helping ensure that delivered harnesses exactly match the feature set of each individual vehicle.

“Model S has very advanced electrical systems with tremendous configuration complexity. It has been vital, during our ramp up to full production, that the logistical integration and effective sharing of data with our suppliers was seamless,” said Paul Lomangino, director of engineering applications, Tesla Motors. “Capital software was able to overcome the challenges of configuration management and data exchange with our key suppliers.”

“Tesla Motors is recognized as a world leader in the production of premium electric vehicles, with a mission to revolutionize the automotive industry’s approach to environmental concerns. Electric vehicles pose particular challenges with respect to their electrical system,” said Nick Smith, business development director of the Mentor Graphics Corporation’s Integrated Electrical Systems Division. “Capital addresses a number of these challenges, in addition to controlling the configuration complexity problems common to all motor vehicle manufacturers.”

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world’s most successful electronic, semiconductor and systems companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues in the last fiscal year of about $1,015 million. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

(Mentor Graphics, Mentor and Capital are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.)