e-SIM, Inc. Announces 1st Commercially Available Product Using RapidPLUS Generated Code
24 July 2000
Volvo Introduces Next Generation Car Phone Developed with e-SIM, Inc. Virtual Product Development Solution and Services
PASADENA, Calif. - e-SIM, Inc. announced today that Volvo Technological Development Corp., a part of Volvo AB , has completed development and begun production of their next generation automotive phone system designed and developed with e-SIM's RapidPLUS suite of development tools. This signifies the first time that a commercially available device is being delivered to consumers with application code generated automatically by e-SIM's RapidPLUS.Volvo cars feature a GSM mobile phone application built right into their latest S80 passenger car. VTD used the automated RapidPLUS Code Generation module to develop the phone's human-machine-interface, including the menu system, which was previously coded by hand. That code is used together with a commercial real-time operating system to provide advanced HMI functionality.
VTD's Stefan Gudmundsson, project manager for the telephone software, was pleased with the Rapid PLUS solution results and indicated that, "Rapid would be used in several future projects in the Volvo Group. This project was completed from early specification to production in less than 12 months. We are extremely satisfied with the generated code size and performance. Using the RapidPLUS development solution, we are now able to significantly reduce the time it takes us to bring products to market." These Rapid-based prototypes were used within the VTD corporate infrastructure to ensure proper integration with a multitude of other on-board vehicle components. In turn, these internal production companies were able to use the prototype as a demonstration platform to show their end-customers new product features. The fully functional RapidPLUS prototype of Volvo's product was used to achieve consensus regarding the design and maintain efficient communication between the teams. This capability saved time for all parties involved in the product development life cycle, according to Gudmundsson.
Ken Dixon, President of e-SIM's Embedded Division said, "This is a very exciting time for e-SIM. The Volvo project is one of the first of several major products that will be fielding devices containing code automatically generated by RapidPLUS. These successful programs validate that RapidPLUS can generate efficient and reliable code for embedded applications. This code generation capability, coupled with the RapidPLUS simulation capability, reduces development time, reduces development cost, and improves code reliability."
About Volvo Technological Development Corp.
Volvo Technological Development is exploiting the Group synergy opportunities in a number of development areas of large importance to Volvo's different business branches. The work is performed on contract basis which requires, in addition to strong drive and collaborative ability, world class competence that must be developed continuously, e.g. through international research collaboration.
The number of employees amounts to approximately 400.
The Transport & Telematics Services department supports the Volvo companies by developing advanced systems and services for cars, trucks, busses, and boats, using wireless communication systems. These applications improve the end-user's mobility, security and transport efficiency.
About e-SIM
e-SIM Ltd. is the leading provider of advanced simulation technology for wireless and electronic product design as well as Web-based solutions to the consumer electronics industry. e-SIM's proprietary simulation technology enables the distribution of electronic LiveProducts, "virtual products" that look and behave like real products, over the Internet or Intranet for web-based electronic commerce, interactive customer support and marketing. Using its proprietary technology, e-SIM will be launching its new Web service and portal site, www.livemanuals.com, featuring product simulations, animated walk-throughs of product features, and online user manuals. e-SIM's simulation technology builds off its RapidPLUS line of software products, which enables product designers and engineers to easily create simulated computer prototypes of electronic products that are fully functional, interactive and behaviorally identical to the manufactured products and systems. RapidPLUS offers automatic software code generation capabilities that significantly reduce the time to market for development of new products.