MathWorks Introduces Release 2020b of MATLAB and Simulink

Includes expanded Simulink access, new products, major updates, and hundreds of new features

NATICK, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MathWorks today introduced Release 2020b of the MATLAB and Simulink product families. New capabilities in MATLAB simplify working with graphics and apps, and Simulink updates focus on expanded access and speed, including the launch of Simulink Online for access through web browsers. R2020b also introduces new products that build on artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, speed up autonomous systems development, and accelerate creation of 3D scenes for automated driving simulation. More details are available in the Release 2020b video.

Among the hundreds of new and updated features, MATLAB adds new bubble and swarm charts, the ability to diff and merge App Designer apps with the MATLAB Comparison Tool, and customizable figure icons and components to MATLAB apps. Also, in addition to Simulink Online to view, edit, and simulate Simulink models through web browsers, R2020b adds the ability to generate code up to 2X faster for referenced model hierarchies in Simulink and includes new automerge functionality that helps automate continuous integration workflows.

Additional Release 2020b Highlights

AI and Deep Learning

The new Deep Learning HDL Toolbox provides algorithm developers and hardware designers with functions and tools to prototype and implement deep learning networks on FPGAs and SoCs. It provides prebuilt bitstreams for running a variety of deep learning networks on supported Xilinx and Intel FPGA and SoC devices. Profiling and estimation tools help to customize a deep learning network by exploring design, performance, and resource utilization tradeoffs. By using Deep Learning HDL Toolbox, engineers can customize the hardware implementation of their deep learning network and generate portable, synthesizable Verilog and VHDL code for deployment on any FPGA with HDL Coder and Simulink.

Starting in R2020b, Deep Learning Toolbox supports Simulink with Image Classification and Network Prediction blocks to help simulate and generate code for deep learning models. Updates to the Experiment Manager app support training of multiple deep learning networks in parallel and tuning of hyperparameters using Bayesian optimization. The Deep Network Designer app can now train networks for image classification, semantic segmentation, multiple-input, out-of-memory, image-to-image regression, and other workflows.

Autonomous Systems

Two new products and a major update for autonomous systems are included in R2020b. Lidar Toolbox is a new product that provides algorithms, functions, and apps for designing, analyzing, and testing lidar processing systems. UAV Toolbox is another new product that provides tools and reference applications for designing, simulating, testing, and deploying unmanned aerial vehicle and drone applications. Updates to Sensor Fusion and Tracking Toolbox include the ability to track objects using the grid-based random finite set (RFS) tracker and the ability to create trajectories using earth-centered waypoints.

Automotive

For the automotive industry, the new RoadRunner Scene Builder product, part of the RoadRunner product family, automates the creation of road networks from HD Maps. AUTOSAR Blockset updates enable the use of schema version 4.4 for import and export of ARXML files and generation of AUTOSAR-compliant C code. It also offers Linux executables for adaptive models, helping to create an AUTOSAR adaptive executable to run as a standalone application. Vehicle Dynamics Blockset now includes the ability to implement 6DOF trailers and vehicles with three axles and Simulink 3D blocks that offer the ability to visualize tractors and trailers in the Unreal Engine 3D environment.

R2020b is available immediately worldwide. For information on all new products, enhancements, and bug fixes to the MATLAB and Simulink product families, visit the R2020b Highlights page.

About MathWorks

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these product families to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, electronics, financial services, biotech-pharmaceutical, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world’s universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 5000 people in 16 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.

MATLAB and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. See mathworks.com/trademarks for a list of additional trademarks. Other product or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.