ATI’s FireGL provides the graphics horsepower for PSA Peugeot Citroën’s innovative automotive designs

Success in the competitive automotive market requires the production of innovative vehicles that meet critical design requirements in performance, handling, aerodynamics, comfort and safety. Accomplishing this requires highly skilled engineers and designers, industry expertise and advanced technology.

Paris-based PSA Peugeot Citroën recognizes the importance of technology to its success. The European automotive icon is currently pursuing a product development plan that will see it launch 26 vehicle models worldwide between 2003 and 2006. Workstation systems featuring high performance ATI FireGL graphics accelerators are essential to meeting their development goals.

ATI FireGL plays a crucial role
PSA Peugeot Citroën is Europe’s second-largest automotive manufacturer, employing more than 207,000 people around the world and selling more than three million vehicles per year. The company recently opened a new state-of-the-art complex near Paris dubbed the Automotive Design Network (ADN), a 70,000- square-meter facility dedicated to design innovation.

ATI’s FireGL workstation graphics accelerators are one of the key components in the Unix workstations at the new ADN complex and other PSA Peugeot Citroën sites in France, Europe and around the globe, including Argentina, Brazil and China. Currently, the automaker utilizes 3,000 HP C8000 workstations powered by ATI FireGL accelerators.

“We ultimately selected ATI FireGL accelerators for the unmatched performance and flexibility they provide us in the Unix world,” states Alain Gonzalez, IT Architect for PSA Peugeot Citroën. “ It’s also important to note that, together with HP, ATI is the first and only manufacturer to offer the AGP graphics support for Unix that we require.”

A history of success with ATI
PSA Peugeot Citroën began using ATI FireGL accelerators in 2001, so the move to ATI’s latest Unix product is a natural progression in an ongoing strategy to advance the car maker’s design and manufacturing capabilities and processes, according to Gonzalez.

“Our designers face a constant need for onscreen 3D imaging and rendering that is extremely fast, precise and reliable. The ATI FireGL graphics accelerator in their C8000 workstation delivers unmatched performance and features, streamlining the design process and allowing them to complete their work in less time.”

Precise and accurate 3D renderings are not only crucial to engineers for visualizing and developing designs, but also for simulating how individual components will fit, interact and perform together under real world driving conditions. The ability to manipulate complex images and huge files easily onscreen during simulations is a key requirement.

“It’s essential that our designers’ Unix workstations deliver 3D visualization that streamlines the process of getting our cars from concept to completion,” says Gonzalez. “With ATI FireGL technology, we know we are going get the best image quality, 3D features and overall performance for the job.”

Putting the virtual car on the road
“ATI graphics cards let us build the virtual car in ways that anticipate the relationship of various complex components and test the durability of our designs,” says Gonzalez. “Designers can modify large assemblies quickly and easily, and create precise visual renderings. Time is of the essence and ATI keeps workflow moving smoothly.”

While PSA Peugeot Citroën is bringing new vehicles to market at an ever increasing pace, it keeps a close eye on meeting cost and quality targets, two fundamental concerns for the organization.

The company’s IT department routinely surveys engineers for feedback on design tools like the HP workstations with ATI FireGL. “ The objective is to understand the day-to-day challenges facing the engineering team in order to address their design needs for the future,” Gonzalez continues.

“We have been able to reach a new level of performance that allows us to solve design problems and complete projects quickly and reliably thanks to ATI Technologies,” Gonzalez says. “Any problem is ‘solvable’ if you’re willing to spend what it takes to solve it. However, ATI allows us to maintain a balance between low costs and exceptional graphics performance. The price performance value they offer is unsurpassed.”

Gonzalez also appreciates the ATI workstation group for their expertise and dedicated support. “Another significant factor for us is that ATI is a partner willing to listening to our needs. ATI understands our requirements and provides us with the tools and capabilities necessary for us to produce world class vehicles. There is no question that we have a competitive advantage thanks to ATI.”

• PSA Peugeot Case Study (PDF)