WESTFORD, MA; PARIS, France and YOKOHAMA, Japan, May 29, 2026 – Valeo and Zuken have formed a partnership to develop an AI-assisted electronic design workflow through the joint “Zuken Valeo InnoLab” program, targeting automotive hardware engineering from architecture planning to physical layout.
The program combines Zuken’s AI roadmap with Valeo’s “AI Agents” and automotive engineering processes. The design flow applies AI to architecture creation, schematic development, traceability checks and placement-and-routing.
“For Valeo, Zuken is much more than a software provider; it is a true innovation partner,” says Christophe Le Ligné, vice president, R&D at Valeo. “The power of Zuken’s AI roadmap, combined with the exceptional openness of its architecture, allows us to hybridize our own artificial intelligence tools with their engine. This win-win partnership is the best way to tackle the challenge of automotive complexity by slashing our design times while guaranteeing 100% robustness.”
“Our vision at Zuken has always been to provide intelligent tools that adapt to our customers’ most complex challenges,” states Ryosuke Takagi, executive officer, general manager of R&D division at Zuken. “Collaborating with a technological leader like Valeo pushes our ‘Autonomous Brain’ roadmap to its highest level of performance. By opening our System Planner, Design Gateway, and Design Force solutions to Valeo’s AI agents, we demonstrate that the true power of AI in engineering lies in the alliance between a high-performance software engine and expert industrial know-how.”
The program is structured in four parts:
- Functional Generative Design: Valeo uses generative AI with Zuken’s System Planner to create and evaluate electronic designs based on Valeo standards. The work aims at supporting design decisions before schematic work begins.
- Digital Continuity: Zuken’s open platform integrates with Valeo’s engineering systems and digital continuity across the hardware design process. The workflow provides traceability for Automotive SPICE 4.0 (ASPICE 4.0), Hardware Engineering process group (HWE) standard. Valeo’s AI processes data and return automated actions into the platform.
- Assisted Detailed Design: Valeo integrates “AI Agents” (virtual copilots) to assist engineers during design work. The agents support solution searches, hardware rule verification and constraint implementation. Zuken develops native AI functions for schematic entry using Valeo’s database.
- Auto-Placement and Routing: Physical integration rely on Zuken’s Design Force engine and its AI Place and Route (AI-PR) algorithms. To guarantee a “First Time Right” execution, Valeo uses Zuken’s software development kit to interact with the design tool and train the AI functions on automotive design constraints.
Source: Zuken
About Valeo
Valeo is a French automotive technology supplier headquartered in Paris. Founded in 1923 in Saint-Ouen, near Paris, the company develops systems for vehicle electrification, driver assistance, lighting, software, thermal management and aftermarket service. Its products include electric powertrain components, sensors, cameras, lighting systems, wiper systems, thermal systems and replacement parts. Valeo serves automakers, technology partners, mobility companies, repair networks, distributors and aftermarket customers worldwide. The company operates through its Power, Brain and Light divisions, along with Valeo Service, which supports aftermarket and mobility customers. Its systems are used in passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and mobility applications. The company employs about 100,000 people worldwide. It operated in about 30 countries, with 150 plants, 59 R&D centers and 20 distribution platforms.
About Zuken
Zuken Inc. is a software company that develops electronic and electrical design automation tools for engineering teams. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, the company provides software for printed circuit board design, electrical systems, fluid systems, and 3D cabinet and wire harness layouts. Its core platforms, CR-8000 and E3.series, provide 2D and 3D system-level design environments with integrated design data and configuration management. Zuken’s software supports engineering workflows that connect design, documentation, and manufacturing processes across the product lifecycle. The company also develops tools supporting model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering initiatives. Zuken serves industries including electronics manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and industrial equipment. The company employs about 1,600 people worldwide.