Tata Elxsi and Synopsys Partner to Advance Software-Defined Vehicle Development

Tata Elxsi, a leading provider of design and technology services, and Synopsys, a global leader in silicon-to-systems design solutions, have announced a strategic collaboration to revolutionise software-defined vehicle (SDV) development through advanced ECU virtualization capabilities. This initiative aims to simplify and speed up software development and testing for automakers worldwide, reducing costs and mitigating production risks.

The two companies formalised this partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the SNUG India 2025 event in Bengaluru. The collaboration is expected to transform the way modern vehicles are designed and built by providing customers with pre-verified, integrated solutions that make deploying virtual electronic control units (vECUs) faster and easier.

Why This Collaboration Matters

The automotive industry is undergoing a dramatic shift. Traditional design and testing workflows are giving way to software-defined approaches, where much of the vehicle’s functionality is driven by sophisticated software. Managing this complexity requires virtualization solutions that let companies design, test, and validate software in virtual environments before committing to expensive and time-consuming physical prototypes.

Virtual ECUs (vECUs) are a key technology in this evolution. They allow developers to simulate real-world conditions and interactions in a controlled, virtual setting. This speeds up testing, improves software quality, and reduces the risk of failures once vehicles are in production.

Through this partnership, Tata Elxsi and Synopsys will offer pre-integrated solutions that help automotive companies design and deploy vECUs more effectively. These solutions address multiple vehicle domains such as powertrain, chassis, body control, gateway, and central compute, making it easier for manufacturers to manage increasingly complex systems.

How This Partnership Benefits the Automotive Industry

1. Simplified Development and Testing

Developing modern automotive software requires simulating countless scenarios, integrating hardware and software components, and ensuring that all systems work flawlessly together. By using advanced ECU virtualization, companies can:

• Test software early in the development cycle

• Reduce reliance on costly and time-consuming physical prototypes

• Validate software systems in virtual environments

• Improve quality while reducing costs

This approach is critical for software-defined vehicles, which rely heavily on interconnected ECUs running complex software.

2. De-risking Production Timelines

Delays in testing and validation can throw entire vehicle production schedules off track. By offering integrated, pre-verified virtualization solutions, Tata Elxsi and Synopsys help manufacturers avoid last-minute surprises.

Automakers can catch and fix bugs early, reducing the risk of expensive recalls or production delays.

3. Cost Savings

By virtualising ECU development and testing, manufacturers can reduce the cost of physical prototyping. Virtual testing environments also allow for more thorough testing, ensuring high-quality software at lower costs.

Combining Strengths for Better Solutions

This collaboration brings together the best of both companies:

• Tata Elxsi’s deep engineering expertise in embedded systems integration, with experience serving global automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.

• Synopsys’ industry-leading virtualization solutions, already used by over 50 global automotive companies.

Together, they will provide customers with integrated, pre-verified solutions that make the deployment of vECUs faster and easier.

Joint Programs Already Underway

The two companies are not starting from scratch. They’re already working together on several programs for global customers, enabling:

• vECUs for multiple vehicle domains

• Software bring-up

• Board Support Package (BSP) integration

• Early-stage software validation

These solutions help manufacturers simulate real-world scenarios, validate software early, and reduce dependence on physical prototypes.

Advanced Automotive Virtualization

Tata Elxsi and Synopsys plan to expand their collaboration to electronics digital twins for multi-ECU systems and application-specific configurations. Digital twins are virtual representations of real-world systems that enable real-time monitoring, simulation, and analysis.

By offering electronics digital twins, the companies can help automotive manufacturers:

• Simulate interactions between multiple ECUs

• Model complex vehicle systems more accurately

• Improve system integration and testing

This is especially important for electric, connected, autonomous, and software-defined vehicles, where interactions between ECUs are increasingly complex.

Voices from Tata Elxsi and Synopsys

Sundar Ganapathi, Chief Technology Officer of Automotive at Tata Elxsi, emphasised:

"Our partnership with Synopsys reflects a future-forward response to how vehicle development is evolving. As OEMs move away from traditional workflows, there is growing demand for engineering services that are tightly integrated with virtualization tools. This strategic collaboration enables us to jointly address that shift with focus, flexibility, and domain depth."

Marc Serughetti, Vice President, Synopsys Product Management & Markets Group, added:

"The automotive industry’s transformation to software-defined vehicles requires advanced virtualization capabilities from silicon to systems. Our leadership enabling automotive electronics digital twins, combined with Tata Elxsi’s engineering scale and practical experience operationalising automotive system design, will simplify the adoption of virtual ECUs and thereby accelerate software development and testing to improve quality and time to market."

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is one of the world’s leading providers of design and technology services across industries, including automotive, broadcast, communications, healthcare, and transportation.

In the automotive sector, Tata Elxsi works with leading OEMs and suppliers to deliver:

• R&D services

• Design and product engineering

• Architecture to launch solutions

The company has extensive expertise in autonomous, electric, connected vehicle technologies, and software-defined vehicles (SDVs). It is supported by:

• A global network of design studios and development centres

• A talented workforce of over 13,000 engineers and specialists

For more information, visit their official website: www.tataelxsi.com/industries/automotive

About Synopsys

Synopsys is a recognised leader in silicon to systems design solutions, with its tools and technologies widely adopted in the automotive industry.

Their virtualization solutions are:

• Trusted by over 50 global automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers

• Used to reduce development complexity

• Essential for improving software quality and de-risking production timelines

Through this partnership with Tata Elxsi, Synopsys aims to extend these benefits to even more customers worldwide.

What This Means for the Industry

The collaboration is a significant milestone for the automotive sector, particularly in India. As automakers race to deliver software-defined vehicles that are safer, more efficient, and feature-rich, the need for robust virtualization tools will only grow.

By combining their engineering scale and technological leadership, Tata Elxsi and Synopsys are well positioned to:

• Accelerate the industry’s transition to software-defined vehicles

• Reduce costs and risks for automakers

• Improve software quality and time to market

This partnership also signals India’s growing leadership in automotive technology innovation, with Tata Elxsi playing a key role in delivering cutting-edge solutions to the global market.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Tata Elxsi and Synopsys will continue exploring opportunities to:

• Expand their virtual ECU solutions

• Develop electronics digital twins for complex vehicle systems

• Support OEMs in their journey toward fully software-defined, connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles

With a strong foundation already in place, this partnership promises to deliver long-term value to customers and help shape the future of automotive engineering.

Conclusion

The partnership between Tata Elxsi and Synopsys is much more than a typical business deal—it’s a strategic move that addresses one of the most critical challenges facing the automotive industry today: software complexity.

By combining deep domain expertise, advanced virtualization technologies, and customer-focused solutions, they aim to transform the way vehicles are designed, tested, and brought to market.

As the industry moves towards software-defined vehicles, such collaborations will be essential to ensure that manufacturers can deliver high-quality, innovative products quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.

For Tata Elxsi, it reaffirms its position as a trusted partner for automotive R&D and engineering services. For Synopsys, it expands its leadership in virtualization solutions critical to the next generation of automotive design.

Together, they represent a powerful force for innovation and growth in the rapidly evolving world of automotive technology.

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