Case Study: Daimler achieves rapid, efficient cruise-control development for Mercedes‑Benz trucks with MathWorks

Daimler Designs Cruise Controller for Mercedes-Benz Trucks

Daimler needed to redesign and implement a modular cruise control system for Mercedes‑Benz trucks on a new target ECU, facing complex coupling between functions, fixed‑point microcontroller constraints, and a hard 18‑month deadline. To meet these challenges, Daimler used MathWorks' Model‑Based Design toolchain—including MATLAB, Simulink, Stateflow, Embedded Coder, Simulink Coder, and Fixed‑Point Designer—to enable team collaboration, rapid prototyping, and automated testing.

Using MathWorks tools, Daimler modeled a 3,900‑block system, ran processor‑in‑the‑loop and hardware‑in‑the‑loop tests, and automatically generated optimized production C code. The MathWorks-based workflow delivered compact, efficient code (about 16% less RAM than the prior handwritten implementation), much higher test efficiency by debugging on the desktop instead of in‑vehicle, and a fast overall development cycle that met the 18‑month delivery target.

Daimler

Mario Wünsche

Project Manager for Truck Product Creation