Siemens to acquire driverless car software developer Tass to strengthen product lifecycle management portfolio

Siemens has reached an agreement to acquire self-driving software specialist Tass International. 

Siemens is said to be Europe’s largest engineering company and has been on the acquisitions and investments trail for some time.

Earlier this year, Siemens spent $4.5 billion buying Mentor Graphics, a builder of electronic hardware and software solutions. Last year, it invested more than $130 million in Bentley Systems, a developer of software solutions which can show factories in digital form. 

It’s not clear how much Siemens is paying to buy Tass, but the company says it is a global provider of simulation software, and engineering and test services, and will further strengthen Siemens’ product lifecycle software automotive offering.

The solutions Siemens plans to build based on Tass technology will be aimed primarily at autonomous driving, integrated safety, advanced driver assistance systems, and tyre modeling.

Siemens says the combined portfolio provides a “unique, fully integrated solution to front-load the verification and validation of automated driving systems”.

Among the other attractions of Tass, says Siemens, is its strength in:

• simulation software;
• engineering and test services aimed primarily at the automotive industry and focused on autonomous driving, integrated safety, advanced driver assistance systems;
• and tyre modeling.

Tass is based in Helmond, Netherlands, and has developed a range of solutions that will further strengthen Siemens’ product lifecycle management software portfolio, and add to its systems-driven product development offerings for the global automotive industry.

Dr Jan Mrosik, CEO of Siemens’ Digital Factory division, says: “The automotive industry is a core focus for Siemens and our acquisition of Tass International is another example of our commitment to offer a complete digital enterprise solutions portfolio, enabling automotive companies to realize their digital transformation and fully benefit from all opportunities of digitalization.

“Tass International is a proven leader in both integrated safety and autonomous driving, two fields of engineering that are increasingly important for the industry.

“By combining its strengths with Siemens’ PLM offerings, we are able to respond even better to today’s challenges in the automotive industry.”

Siemens says that, with active safety and advanced driver assistance systems features increasingly becoming the norm in the automotive industry, the compelling trends of connected and autonomous driving vehicles set new requirements for virtual and physical validation and verification of automotive vehicles.

Jan van den Oetelaar, CEO of Tass, says: “The Siemens PLM Software portfolio offers a significant opportunity for TASS International and its customers to accelerate the development of safety-critical applications in the field of automated and connected driving. Our engineering and test services will reach a larger audience through the extensive Siemens global footprint.

“The integration of TASS International into the Siemens organization is expected to create a stable long-term environment and allow access to a vast knowledge base.

“This can help to build an integrated toolchain for verification and validation of complex automotive functions that should benefit both the automotive industry as well as government organizations worldwide.”

Tass is focused on automated driving solutions and integrated – active, passive – safety, primarily for the automotive industry.

With its PreScan software, car manufacturers, suppliers and government agencies can simulate complex traffic scenarios and virtually validate automated driving solutions and advanced driver assistance systems.

With its Madymo software for occupant safety modeling, Tass can simulate the impact of a car crash on the human body. Tass’ Delft-Tyre software provides highly accurate tyre models for vehicle dynamics and ride and handling simulations.

Tass’ simulation software will be combined with Siemens’ Simcenter portfolio of advanced simulation offerings, and its electronic design automation solutions from the recently acquired Mentor Graphics organization.

Siemens says the combination will provide a “unique fully integrated solution to front-load the verification and validation of ADAS and autonomous driving systems, providing Siemens with the world’s most complete systems-driven product development offering for autonomous vehicles”.

Siemens will acquire 100 percent of the share capital of Tass and integrate the business into its PLM software business unit, which is part of its digital factory division.

Tass has approximately 200 employees and has an annual turnover of €27m.

Closing is expected in early September 2017. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.