4. Industrial applications: bond graphs and mechatronics

4.1 Mechatronics approach

The mechatronics approach (MECANIQUE-élecTRONIQUE) in the automotive industry involves integrating the potential of electronics from the earliest stages of design to perform functions that could previously be carried out by mechanical components, but above all to achieve performance levels that would otherwise be unattainable. This has led manufacturers to introduce new functions, such as anti-lock braking systems or traction control.

This leads to a new approach to design, known as "integrated design", where the modeling, control and operational safety phases are interactive and simultaneous, leading to prototyping.

New organizations (project-based, with multidisciplinary teams) and new constraints (capitalization...