Synopsys Rolls Out LucidShape and LucidDrive Version 2.1

Synopsys, Inc. has recently announced the availability of version 2.1 of its LucidShape® and LucidDrive® software products intended for the design and virtual-reality simulation of automotive exterior lighting.

LucidShape version 2.1 presents upgraded interfaces to its TreeView structure and Visualize Module that speed the design and analysis of 3D automotive lighting models, as well as fresh options for simulating vehicle headlamp glare effects as perceived by the human eye. Moreover, Synopsys LucidDrive version 2.1 launches key improvements for simulating vehicle headlamps under nighttime driving conditions. For instance, LucidDrive simulations now include dimming and swiveling headlamps, matrix beam headlamps, and vehicle geometry for left-hand traffic conditions.

In a statement, George Bayz, vice president and general manager of Synopsys’ Optical Solutions Group, said that with updates to human eye vision and Adaptive Front-Lighting System simulations, both LucidDrive and LucidShape continue to support advances in automotive lighting design. He added that the newest releases also enable users to instantly translate their ideas into complete designs with ease-of-use enhancements to streamline model setup and refinement.

The following are the new features for automotive lighting design are included in LucidShape version 2.1:

• Expanded 2D and 3D measured Bidirectional Scatter Distribution Function (BSDF) material libraries designed for high-accuracy modeling of surface scattering for materials utilized automotive lighting

• The Visualize Module Human Eye Vision Image (HEVI) interface comes with new options for simulating and solving glare effects. This gives users a chance to select from various glare models, including Holladay and Vos, and to include information enabling glare analysis as a function of angle and observer age.

• The Visualize Module, which provides high-speed photorealistic images of an automotive lighting system’s lit appearance, boasts a streamlined user interface including new presets and range controls to instantly fine tune results.

• The TreeView, which offers a hierarchical display of LucidShape model data, has been upgraded for enhanced large model handling and faster performance.

In a statement, Jason Smith, optical engineering manager at Grakon, LLC, said that the launch of Vos and Holladay glare functionality in LucidShape is another huge step forward in enhancing photorealism of simulated images. He also noted that the extra TreeView updates significantly increase navigation speed, particularly in larger models.

Furthermore, LucidDrive version 2.1 also includes the following new features for assessing beam patterns of vehicle headlamps under nighttime driving conditions:

• New scripts to enable MATLAB simulation of swiveling and dimming headlamps

• Enhanced road libraries for quick preview and selection of road scenes

• New vehicle geometry for simulating nighttime driving conditions for left-hand traffic

• New options for defining color temperature and chromatic adaption to improve the realism of LucidDrive’s lighting simulations

• New matrix beam Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFS) script with prepared solutions for six and eight lighting elements

The two new software from Synopsys are now available for download.