CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

5 February 2007

Implementation Investments

Honda Drives Innovative SUV Design with Autodesk Software

Autodesk, Inc. announced that Honda Canada engaged Autodesk AliasStudio software for the widely recognized design of the 2007 Acura MDX sports utility vehicle (SUV). The Acura design team in Los Angeles, California designed the improved 2007 MDX model with a new styling direction. The innovative design embodies Acura's commitment to performance, luxury, quality and style, together with a global mandate for safety and environmental care. Acura worked with INCAT, an Autodesk Authorized Reseller, to choose AliasStudio software for their automotive design process.

Autodesk AliasStudio delivers a comprehensive suite of tools for the rapid creation, evaluation and visualization of design ideas -- from concept sketches to engineering. Along with virtually every automotive design company in the world, Acura's designers relied upon AliasStudio to turn their creative ideas into the new and exciting Acura MDX.

"When designing a vehicle like the Acura MDX, designers require a seamless, single-system design process that provides unparalleled quality from first sketch to 3D model, to visualization and collaboration," says Ricky Hsu, principal designer of the Acura MDX. "With AliasStudio, our design team has this solution. Not only are we working with a highly creative tool but also one that lets us reduce time-to-market constraints, helping Acura deliver high-quality and aesthetically innovative designs that inspire and stimulate our customers, as well as keep them safe."

Hsu and his team used AliasStudio throughout their entire design to visualization workflow. Quick digital product design and prototyping allowed designers and engineers to preview the texture, reflection and lighting of various car components, facilitating the decision-making process. The ability to continually refine the design was an essential feature for Hsu and his team, as was the ability to effectively articulate, communicate and eventually sell the team's design intent to Acura marketing and engineering departments.

"In today's automotive market, design has become a key competitive advantage for every manufacturer," says Robert "Buzz" Kross, vice president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions. "AliasStudio software supports our automotive design and manufacturing customers' main business initiative - to create designs that resonate with their consumers and raise demand, driving potential buyers to the vehicle. Autodesk takes pride in the important role AliasStudio software plays in making this happen, as design matters more than ever before."

About the 2007 Acura MDX

The all-new 2007 Acura MDX is a Canadian-built, second-generation luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV). The newly designed model advances the automobile's styling direction, featuring a large array of safety features in addition to offering race-inspired handling, advanced engineering and integrated driver technology. Its dramatic styling utilizes large surface areas, sweeping curves and decisive angles. Longer, wider and lower than the original MDX, the new dimensions create a more athletic appearance. The original Acura MDX, Acura's flagship SUV, was produced at the Honda of Canada Mfg. facility in Ontario from 2001 to 2006 model years. The MDX is the sixth Acura project to be designed in North America.

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