Synopsys and Infineon have released a Virtualizer Development Kit (VDK) for Infineon's AURIX RC1 microcontroller family, according to a press release issued by Synopsys on November 10, 2026.
The VDK provides automotive engineering teams with a virtual prototype of the AURIX RC1 MCU, Infineon's computing platform for software-defined vehicle and Physical AI applications. Using the RC1 VDK as part of an electronics digital twin, engineering teams can develop, verify, and validate software across a variety of domains to reduce integration risk and accelerate time to market.
The release comes as automotive software complexity continues to mount. Automotive engineering teams are managing more than 600 million lines of code, hundreds of suppliers, shorter development cycles, and intensifying cost pressures. According to Synopsys, the virtualization of vehicle electronics for design, integration, and test can reduce costs by 20–60%.
The RC1 VDK allows engineering teams to integrate the architecture into next-generation electronic control units and achieve up to 90% software validation ahead of physical system availability. The kit is available within the Infineon DRIVECORE software portfolio for compiler, debugger, AUTOSAR, open-source, and other partners to validate software compatibility with the upcoming MCU family ahead of silicon availability.
The RC1 VDK also provides a foundation to build virtual ECUs, networks of virtual ECUs, and full-system electronics digital twins, enabling validation from the earliest stages of development and throughout the product lifecycle.
Infineon's AURIX RC1 is based on a RISC-V open architecture, representing a shift in the company's platform design. Thomas Schneid, vice president of Software and Ecosystem Management at Infineon, said the new architecture is intended to enable customers to build on existing investments, simplify migration, and accelerate innovation.
Synopsys and Infineon have collaborated on virtual prototyping for multiple generations of AURIX MCUs for more than a decade.