Volcano acquisition boosts automotive presence

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team May 31, 2005

Mentor Graphics Corp has acquired Volcano Communications Technologies (VCT), including the complete product line of Volcano's automotive networking series.

Mentor Graphics Corp has acquired Volcano Communications Technologies (VCT), including the complete product line of Volcano's automotive networking series.

The series includes network design tools, embedded software and test and validation tools for all major automotive networks.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition provides a logical extension of Mentor's growing presence in the automotive industry by broadening the company's portfolio of tools available for the design of automotive electrical and electronic systems.

VCT adds predictable, real-time communications within automotive electrical systems to Mentor's strong solutions of cabling and harness, embedded software and system modelling.

Mentor Graphics will continue to offer and support the full VCT product line.

VCT provides the automotive industry with comprehensive networking and data communication solutions that support the user in the development of in-vehicle networking systems.

By using the Volcano concept, network design is made easy and predictable, guaranteeing data communications which reduces the verification effort to almost zero and eliminates warranty and change costs caused by networking issues.

VCT is a premium member of Autosar, actively participating in the development of an open network communication standard for the automotive industry.

VCT customers include Audi, BMW, Daimler Chrysler, Volkswagen, Volvo, Ford, Fiat, PSA, Bosch, Delphi, Magneti Marelli, Siemens VDO and Visteon.

"This is a natural step forward for VCT.

We have been creating development tools and embedded software since 1998 but mainly focusing on the European marketplace", said Antal Rajnak, VCT founder, Vice Chairman of the Board, and Chief Technical Officer/vice President, Research and Development.

"We are excited that, by joining Mentor Graphics, we will be expanding into the global automotive marketplace while combining our strong technologies into Mentor's automotive design flow".