INTERVIEW
Laurence Montanari
VP of Dassault Systemes
 

Laurence Montanari, Vice President of Dassault Systemes’ Transportation & Mobility Industry, knows better than anyone how the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables innovative vehicle development and new modes of collaboration in a short time, thanks to her hands-on experience at Renault. Building on that background, she explains that Dassault is being chosen by global OEMs during their SDV transition because it provides safety and security through Safe by Design, traceability, and Virtual Twin technology. Dassault’s support for automotive innovation extends beyond virtual twins and simulations for next-generation powertrain technologies such as electric and hydrogen. It spans from the molecular level of batteries to the construction of future mobility ecosystems at the urban and regional level, such as V2G. This is the automotive innovation universe that Dassault Systemes envisions.

By | Sang Min Han _ han@autoelectronics.co.kr

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From Renault to Dassault:
Insights Shaped by Practice


You worked at Renault for more than 20 years, experiencing a wide variety of projects such as Twizy and EZ-FLEX. You must have also directly used Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE platform during that time. How did this experience give you insights that now help drive industry and platform innovation in Dassault’s T&M business overall?

Montanari: That’s right. I have experience as a direct user who used and tested the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. I was able to try it out in Renault’s vehicle programs. The vehicle was an experimental model for last-mile delivery, and the challenge was that it had to be developed with a very small team, with only a few people, in a very short timeframe. To succeed, it was absolutely necessary to understand how to change the processes we had used before. For Renault, it was an entirely new way of collaboration. It was a new method of working together across different silos of expertise. As a result, we succeeded in developing the vehicle and obtaining approval in less than 18 months. And that was precisely the background that led me to join Dassault Systemes.

You mentioned silos. What kind of teams did you bring together?

Montanari: The most important success story I can share is the collaboration between the design studio and the engineering team. We were able to collaborate in short, iterative cycles within the same digital environment. This method was extremely important in areas such as headlamp systems. The headlamp system of a car is not just a design element but a complex field that involves electrical/electronic, ADAS, and various innovative technologies, as well as suppliers.

Is this why we are now seeing partnerships such as Volkswagen?
Why do you think Dassault Systemes is chosen by global OEMs?

Montanari: That’s a really good question. The reason they choose us is that we are not just a software vendor. Dassault Systemes not only provides solutions but also the processes for how to use those solutions. And we already have numerous success stories in the automotive industry. Renault is one of them, and Volkswagen is another. We also collaborate with many automotive companies such as Valeo and Tesla. We know this industry very well, and we are constantly in contact with it, working side by side with customers to implement real projects. At the same time, we keep investing in new solutions to address changing challenges.
We can model and simulate the experience of passengers and drivers themselves. This means that when you change software in an ECU, you can understand what that means for the car and for the driver’s experience. Another important subject is that we can cover the entire spectrum - from the chemistry of the battery, to module development, to vehicle development, and then the connection of the vehicle with infrastructure.

Beyond Solutions:
Providing Processes

Dassault Systemes ’ CAD solutions are almost like a “bible” in the industry, with a long history.
Not many companies use competing products.
Isn’t this one of the main reasons customers choose Dassault’s broad portfolio, including CAD? What do you think?

Montanari: That’s correct. Some customers started with our 3D CAD solution CATIA, but some came from manufacturing through solutions like Delmia. It’s true that our solution portfolio is extremely broad, and CAD, PLM, manufacturing, and data are continuously evolving.
And we are not stopping there. We are also evolving modeling and simulation at the organizational level. Because the automotive industry has countless defined processes, and we must support the integration of software to be used in the right organization. This is a new way of creating value. It’s not just about a Virtual Twin of the product, but about combining the real twin and the virtual twin of the organization itself.


 

Safe by Design 
and Virtual Twin Strategy

Let’s talk about SDV. Safety and security risks are high.
How does Dassault address these issues throughout the vehicle lifecycle?

Montanari: There are several ways to ensure the safety and security of SDV and vehicle software development. The first is at the design stage, namely systems engineering. We call this “Safe by Design,” and it can be explained through analogy with product design. Just as most important decisions are made early in the product design stage, in SDV it is also crucial how you design the system. For this area, we have the systems engineering software Cameo (Catia Magic). This solution is already widely recognized in aerospace and defense and is increasingly used in the automotive field.
The next important element is traceability. You must be able to trace and link requirements, systems engineering, developed software, and hardware. We can connect all these different domains, and this is very important for vehicles. Because under the SDV principle, every carmaker and supplier is redesigning the main domains of the car and connecting them all to the HPC on top of SDV. Systems engineering and Catia Magic are already standard references in aerospace and defense. Having contributed to building safe systems there, we now aim to apply that experience to automotive SDV.
We can build Virtual Twins that combine hardware and software. This perspective goes beyond an engineering view of parameters, domains, and systems. We can visualize a virtual version of the car and show how it operates within its context. We can link and integrate hardware and software in the vehicle through the Virtual Twin. This is exactly what 3DExcite describes. It’s not just about showing the appearance of the car but presenting all the technical realities and parameters together. Therefore, we provide customers with solutions to simulate the Virtual Twin of the vehicle. It allows them to virtually implement connectivity between smartphones, cars, and infrastructure.

Passenger Experience
and Driver Experience

 

Looking five years ahead, at what level will the global automotive industry reach in terms of SDV?
How will Dassault support this?
And did your experience leading Renault’s accessory business inspire you for SDV and UX strategy?

Montanari: The difficult part is understanding how drivers actually use the technology. That’s why we build Virtual Twins of vehicles based on parameters from cars already running on the road. This means that engineers have a clear possibility to update, modify, and improve the passenger experience. For me, SDV, OTA, and Virtual Twin are tools that help engineers understand how cars are used and in what context.

Talking about passenger and driver experience makes me think of another question.
In China, there is strong demand for in-car massage functions, whereas in Germany such features are unlikely to be accepted. France and Germany also have different car cultures.
Which SDV functions do you think will be popular in Europe in the future?

Montanari: That’s a good question. First, the core topic is the driving range of EVs and hybrids. It’s well known that battery technology can improve range, but software can also do so. For example, limiting acceleration or optimizing the battery management system. But these two parameters ultimately depend on the driver. So I believe in the future, optimizing driving range based on the driver’s habits and behavior will be a big opportunity.
The second important SDV element is UX, including screens. I’m convinced that various alternatives and new possibilities will emerge in the UX field in the future.
From a European perspective, SDV helps maintain vehicle value. Take leased vehicles as an example. At the end of the lease, the customer must be given maximum value. With SDV, you can update the car and add new apps without changing the architecture, which helps preserve value. In this respect, Tesla is the best model case. In the European market, the trend of maintaining vehicle value at the end of leases will definitely appear.

GenAI: The Starting Point
- Benefits Are Clear

Has AI already become a practical technology? What has become possible, and what challenges remain?
Also, as software - driven transformation accelerates with AI,
how should companies respond in terms of talent and organizational culture?

Montanari: The automotive industry is driving AI innovation. All carmakers and suppliers are investing in AI, and so are we.
Dassault is investing in AI across all brands  -  CATIA, Biovia, Simulia, Delmia, Enovia. So AI capabilities are already partly embedded in these solutions.
For example, Biovia uses AI to reinvent and redesign new molecules for batteries. Simulia is reducing the time required for simulation.
During the early stages of vehicle development, GenAI enables the exploration of multiple design options and helps identify the most suitable one. In simulation, surrogate models make it possible to shrink the time from days to hours, and from hours to seconds. On the data side, Renault provides an example : AI was used to secure the supplychain and reduce shortages. 
Dassault is investing heavily in AI, and at the same time, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is no longer just a platform for Virtual Twins but a platform for knowledge and knowhow. This means you can run GenAI on it, learn from the past, and train AI. We will continue to invest heavily in this.
Another example, we have the Outscale cloud solution, and through specific partnerships, we are connecting it to  LLMs. However, GenAI is not the right solution for certifications like crash tests or specific simulations. That’s why while we are running GenAI projects for 3D models of vehicles with customers, at the certification stage we still follow traditional simulation processes.
In any case, in actual module development, AI achieved a 40% reduction in development time. This is exactly why the automotive industry is investing massively in this technology.

How long will it take for GenAI to reach a level where it can participate in truly mission-critical areas?

Montanari: I think we are just at the starting point of this story. Today, GenAI is being used in 3D, data, and language. But tomorrow it will be able to generate system engineering from data, and of course, generate software as well. So there will be many different areas we will explore going forward.
It’s impossible to predict when this technology will reach maturity, but clearly today we face issues at the technology and talent levels. The automotive industry needs people who can understand and manage this technology, this new opportunity and challenge. For OEMs and suppliers, it is not easy to retain talents with such high-tech and AI profiles.


 

Spain's Blackout
and The Future of V2G

Let’s talk about EVs. Recently, for various reasons, it feels like the push for EVs has slowed a bit. Amid competition in vehicles, batteries, and software, do you think the global transition to EVs is still accelerating?
Montanari: Yes. Basically, to the first part of your question, “Is the EV transition accelerating?” - I would say we are right in the middle of the transition. Everyone in the industry used to say the transition was too fast. And now people are saying it will take much longer. The European Commission wanted a short transition, but in reality, it will take much longer.
That said, we will not return to internal combustion engines. The infrastructure is already in place.
There’s a projection that hybrids will account for 30% of all vehicles by 2030. That’s a very large figure. It means the transition in Europe will continue for a long time. Of course, there are already pure EVs with long ranges. Some exceed 600 km, offer fast charging, and the infrastructure exists. So EVs have clear advantages. But the price is very high. This creates a major issue between benefits and costs, since many people cannot afford a new EV.
Therefore, the automotive industry is demanding massive simulation to advance and mature new alternatives such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids ( PHEV ), range extenders, as well as pure EV ( BEV ), and solid-state batteries.


By the way, there was a blackout in Spain this year. I thought, “Surprising, tragic,” but at the same time, maybe good news for EV stakeholders.
Montanari: Yes, that’s right. Imagine cars on the road becoming small energy storage units. Then you could avoid peaks in power demand and massive investments in nuclear power plants. You could also avoid the surges in energy demand during peak times.
When the blackout happened in Spain, people tried to charge their homes with their EVs. That’s because of V2G technology. Considering the scale of plug-in EVs in Europe, I see this as the beginning of the grid. Of course, some balance will be necessary, but the potential is clearly visible. To achieve this, you need to be able to simulate vehicles, energy, and grid demand. We will connect these through Virtual Twins. It’s about linking different industries - 3D universes connecting the automotive industry, infrastructure, and cities. We will be able to model the virtual car, the infrastructure, and the energy demands of regions together.


In fact, Dassault is already working on projects connecting industries like V2G, right?
Montanari: Personally, I am part of the Software Republique consortium. In this consortium, Dassault Systemes works with members such as Atos, JCDecaux, Renault Group, STMicroelectronics, and Thales, to explore how EVs can contribute to V2G. Many variables affect this - energy prices, the number of vehicles to charge, the grid’s capacity. So simulations that take all these parameters into account will be of great help to the future of each region.



 

From Molecules to Cities:
The Automotive Innovation Universe

As you said, there are many opportunities and challenges in the automotive industry today,
along with many powertrain technologies.
Hydrogen is also one of them. How is Dassault Systemes approaching hydrogen technology and environmental response?

Montanari: First, hydrogen requires a tremendous amount of simulation for the fuel cell stack. We use our Simulia brand for fuel cell simulation and collaborate with key partners. Delmia is also involved, because manufacturing fuel cell stacks is not an easy process. For example, at Hannover Messe we demonstrated with machine suppliers how to stack with high quality. We are also researching tanks for hydrogen vehicles. Tanks must use composites because internal pressure is extremely high. So a lot of research, simulation, and modeling is required. We are running many projects across the hydrogen system as a whole.

 

Recently there were a few acquisitions, right? Could you tell us what they were and what they mean?

Montanari: The most recent one was a partnership applied to software-defined manufacturing. I can’t share details yet, but it’s about extending the methods used in products to industrial equipment and manufacturing. This new acquisition has huge potential.
I can’t disclose more for now, but I can tell you it’s in the manufacturing field.

 

Lastly, do you have any message or emphasis you’d like to share with AEM readers?

Montanari: I would like to talk about Dassault Systemes ’ DNA.
I’ve been with the company for five years now, and its DNA is to be ready to innovate and to take on the challenge of solving the complexity of physics. Through this, Dassault Systemes can address everything from the molecular level of batteries to vehicles, and to systems at the city and regional scale.
This opens up enormous possibilities and scope for the automotive industry. It means we can optimize vehicle models for a specific region, and also optimize vehicle use itself in another region or city. This is what we call '3D Universes'. In other words, connecting the single object of a vehicle with other models such as infrastructure and cities. Being able to connect these models differently provides tremendous potential for the automotive industry and future mobility services.
I am deeply connected not only to trends, breakthroughs, and mobility services in the automotive industry, but also to colleagues in high-tech, infrastructure, materials, cities and regions, as well as life sciences and healthcare. We can connect these Virtual Twins.
And this is the bigger picture that Dassault Systemes will build going forward.

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