VI-grade brings its annual Zero Prototypes Summit to the Multimatic SimCenter in Novi, Michigan.
On June 12, VI-grade will host the 2025 North American Zero Prototypes Day, a one-day technical event focused on simulation-based vehicle development. The event is part of the company’s broader effort to demonstrate how advanced simulation environments are being used to reduce reliance on physical prototypes in automotive engineering.
The program includes live demonstrations of VI-grade’s hardware and software platforms, including dynamic driving simulators, such as the DiM250, and HiL systems, such as AutoHawk. Engineers will also be able to interact with real-time simulation tools for vehicle dynamics (VI-CarRealTime), ADAS development (VI-WorldSim), and NVH analysis (VI-NVHSim). Other stations will show how human-machine interface (HMI) concepts are evaluated in virtual environments.
Engineers from companies such as Honda Motors, Hitachi Astemo, Mcity, and Multimatic will present a range of technical sessions and case studies. These will cover applications of simulation in vehicle design, system integration, and validation.
One portion of the event is dedicated to NVH simulation. In the afternoon, VI-grade will host a focused NVH user group session featuring updates to VI-NVHSim (releases 2025.1 SP1 and 2025.2), and discussion topics including sound design, CAE-test correlation, and electric vehicle sound simulation. The session will conclude with an open Q&A for users to provide feedback and discuss future development needs.
Zero Prototypes Day is intended for engineers working in ride and handling, ADAS, NVH, and HMI development, offering a practical look at how simulation tools integrate into modern automotive workflows.
The North American event piggybacks off of VI-grade’s 2025 Zero Prototypes Summit, held May 13 to 15 at its SimCenter in Udine, Italy. The global event attracted over 1,500 participants, with approximately 300 attending on-site and more than 1,200 tuning in via livestream. The event drew representatives from 24 OEMs, 17 Tier 1 suppliers, and six academic and research institutions, supported by 27 industry sponsors.
Across three days, attendees accessed nearly 1,000 hands-on demo sessions spanning VI-grade’s software suite, dynamic simulators, and HiL systems. Key technical sessions and customer case studies covered applications in vehicle dynamics, ADAS, NVH, and HMI development. Notable contributor brands included Alpine, Hyundai METC, Aston Martin Lagonda, Ferrari, Ford Werke, Honda R&D, Multimatic, Porsche Engineering, Stellantis, Volvo, and others.
Two major product launches were introduced at the Summit:
- HexaRev: a 6‑DOF motion platform designed to deliver smoother, quieter, and more precise driver-in‑the‑loop simulation through a new mechanical design that eliminates belts, gears, and ball-screws.
- VI‑DataDrive Cloud: a cloud-based simulation and data analytics platform aimed at reducing high-fidelity model run times and enabling scalable, collaborative workflows via AI-enhanced digital twins.
Senior management from VI-grade noted that the event demonstrated a strong and growing industry commitment to simulation-first vehicle development. The Summit’s regional scope is expanding, with a North American Zero Prototypes Day scheduled for June 12 in Michigan and a planned Japanese edition in Tokyo on September 12.
See you in Novi
Engineering.com is attending the 2025 North American Zero Prototypes Day at SimCenter Detroit in Novi, Michigan. Follow Editor-in-Chief Rachael Pasini on LinkedIn for live coverage and stay tuned for a full report on the latest technology. Live or work nearby? Registration is still open and free of charge.
