Heavy equipment manufacturers are transitioning to software-defined machines (SDM) to enable autonomous and ADAS functions. This shift exposes integration gaps between chassis dynamics, braking, powertrain electrification and control software, increasing validation risk and development cost. This presentation presents a unified, multi-domain engineering workflow that connects system simulation, 3D multibody dynamics and control development within a scalable (or multi-fidelity) machine digital twin. The approach supports multi-attribute trade-offs, multi-fidelity modeling and continuous XIL verification using a common plant model. The result is reduced cycle time, improved cross-domain traceability and higher pre-hardware confidence for autonomous heavy equipment.

• Integrated workflows strengthen SDM readiness
• Rationalizing tools and model re-use reduce rebuild effort and cycle time
• Improving cross-domain collaboration and traceability is also key
• Extend classical chassis development into a continuous XIL verification thread
• A multi-fidelity machine digital twin that scales subsystem fidelity