Quantum-inspired tech and AI are now speeding up automotive parts design, automating a task that once relied entirely on skilled engineers.
The automotive industry is under pressure to develop sustainable products while managing increasingly complex hardware and software designs. At the same time, there is a severe shortage of skilled engineers, which slows development and increases reliance on individual expertise. One specific challenge is designing connector pin placement in car ECUs, where a single 100-pin array can theoretically have a vast number of possible arrangements. This complexity has traditionally made design review slow and labor-intensive.
To address this, Toyota Systems and Fujitsu, in collaboration with Toyota, explored automating the connector pin placement process. The goal was to apply Toyota’s design standards and engineering expertise while leveraging Toyota Systems’ knowledge of CAE analysis and Fujitsu’s quantum-inspired computing technology, the Digital Annealer, combined with AI.
The approach involved training an AI model using data on connector pin placement patterns and evaluation scores that were previously determined by experienced engineers. This model was then converted into mathematical expressions and processed at high speed by the Digital Annealer, which calculated the optimal pin arrangements automatically.
The outcome is a dramatic acceleration of the design process. Connector pin placement can now be determined over 20x faster than with traditional methods, reducing manual effort, cutting review time, and allowing engineers to focus on higher-level system design challenges.
Toyota Systems plans to extend this approach to supplier companies, encouraging the use of advanced technology and digital tools across the Toyota Group’s manufacturing processes. Fujitsu will support the group’s sustainable development and design, helping create a safer, more secure, and comfortable mobility society. Together, both companies aim to speed up development, improve quality, and reduce costs by applying this automated mechanism more broadly.
